Runnin' Out of Time
by themodernteen
Summary: There's a new, vengeful meta-human in Central City out to get the Flash. With hypnotic and telepathic power, the Mind Magician forces Barry to abandon his hero persona and use his powers for wicked intent. With no control of his actions, the team must try and stop Barry before his mind collapses under the influence of evil. I don't anything related to the CW or the Flash.
1. Chapter 1

**Here's a new fanfic, everyone! So soon after the Season 2 finale of the Flash, I've just been dying for Barry Allen to return to our screens. Here's something new I wrote, the chapters will be long but few. PLEASE leave me a review, lovely people, and favorite/follow! I don't own anything related to the CW or the Flash.**

"Make an immediate left, Barry!" Cisco spoke excitedly through the receiver into Barry's com in the flash suit.

"Got it, Cisco!" he heard the streak's voice through the receiver, "How much farther?"

"Almost there!"

"Do I make a right now?"

"No."

A moment passed.

"Now?"

"Not yet."

Cisco watched as Barry was speeding through the streets of Central City.

"Now?"

"Now!"

He saw the red dot on the screen make a quick right on the monitor, "Nice!"

"Thanks, Cisco!" Barry laughed through the other end, "That was close."

"You're doing better, dude," Cisco encouraged, "this practice sesh has been your best yet!"

Barry dipped into an abandoned alley and screeched to a stop. He smiled happily, he was proud of himself, he was mastering the quick turns at full speed. Barry reached up and pulled down the red mask that protected his identity.

The clouds rumbled above, it looked like it was going to rain. _Weird,_ he thought skeptically. Central City had relatively good weather-besides the fact when a giant dark matter storm engulfed the whole city and a bolt of electricity struck him and gave him the powers and that he was gifted with now.

He heard a shuffle behind him. Barry whipped his mask on and turned around. The minute his eyes hit the man's face, he felt his entire body relax. The strange man was wearing all black and his hair was a silver grey. He had tanned skin and his skin was lined from the seeing the sun too long. But his eyes were absolutely mesmerizing. They were a blue green one minute then they gradually turned orange to yellow. Barry immediately was attracted to them, he couldn't take his eyes off of the stranger's eyes. They trapped him like a fly in a web. He would do anything when he was looking into them, if this man asked him to jump he would say, "how high?"

"Flash," the seductive voice purred. Barry was entranced, he turned round and faced the man entirely.

"I'm-I'm-I can't-"

"Don't speak, Flash," the tall stranger continued to speak languidly.

Barry closed his mouth quickly.

"Good," he smiled smugly, "don't move, you stand right there."

The young CSI felt his feet become planted to the ground. He did not want to move-never, not unless this man told him he could.

"Yes, sir," he said automatically.

"Do you want to move, Flash?" the man smirked.

"No."

"Good," he crossed his arms. The stranger was wearing a black peacoat with black trousers and boots, "I want you to reach and pull out the receiver that is on your mask."

There was a small nagging thought at the back of his mind but he quickly pushed it away. Barry reached back and pulled out the wired receiver connected to his mask. Now Cisco or the team wouldn't have any communication or sensor on Barry at all-it would be like he just disappeared.

"Step on it."

Barry threw it to the ground and crushed it with his foot. Those sparkling eyes still stared deep into his own.

"Now, Flash, I want you to take off your mask."

"What?" he said, and cringed. _You are disobeying him, Barry, that's wrong. He wants you to take off the mask, you do it._

The man's eyes narrowed and it seemed like their power escalated. The hesitation in Barry quickly melted away and he pulled on seam of the mask from under his hairline. The object that had protected his identity for so long was thrown to the floor, Barry's face was fully exposed.

"Flash, do you have a team or a place that you go to for your intel?"

"Yes," Barry said freely, "Dr. Caitlin Snow who is a brilliant scientist and she usually addresses me when I'm injured, Dr. Harrison Wells who initially created the particle accelerator explosion, and Cisco Ramon, the tech genius who builds all the gadgets and equipment. We all work at STAR Labs."

"STAR Labs, I should've known," the stranger said under his breath, "stay absolutely still, I want a good look at you," he said.

Barry listened, he did not move-he did not even breath.

The strange man looked at Barry's innocent and light eyes, scanned his trimmed brown hair, admired his athletic physique, and rested on that burgundy suit that had been streaking across town.

"Beautiful," the man nodded approvingly, "Flash, you are a handsome young man. What's your name?"

"F-Flash?" Barry scolded himself again internally. _Barry, stop disobeying him!_

"No," the man glared at him this time and his eyes glittered even more, "I want your real name."

"Barry Allen," he said without hesitation.

"Barry Allen?" the stranger rolled the words over his tongue, his eyes never left Barry's, "I like it. Now, Mr. Allen, I want you to do something for me."

"Anything," The Flash was entranced.

"I want you to not speak a word of our encounter, not a single word. You will put your mask back on, you will run back to your lab, you will tell your team that your receiver fell out while you were running, and you will never mention me under _any_ circumstances-I don't care if you're dying," his eyes flashed and Barry winced, "But, Barry, there's something that I want to change with you."

"Tell me," he asked eagerly.

"I want to get rid of this gung-ho, hero attitude of yours, it's rather very annoying and inconvenient. Tomorrow at 3:30 PM to go to the Central City bank and steal $500,000 from the vault; with your speed it's a quick in and a quick out. You then meet me at the warehouse on 42nd Street. Make sure you wear your suit, I want people to know it's you-stop by a few cameras if you can for a good picture in the paper too," the man snarled, "you will bring me the money and await further instructions, understood?"

"Perfectly," Barry smiled, he was looking forward to robbing the bank. Anything this man wanted he would do in a split second, "but what about my team monitoring me through my receiver?"

"Get rid of it, I don't care how but make it convincing," the stranger was taking steps back, he was slinking into the shadows of the alley, "we will meet again soon, Mr. Allen and I will have the Flash bending to my will."

He laughed evilly before disappearing completely.

"Wha-?" Barry looked around, he was standing in an empty alleyway. A massive headache racked his brain and he immediately put this fingers to his temples .He remembered he had stopped here to talk to Cisco but he couldn't really remember anything after that. It was like someone plucked him out of his conscious and put him right back two minutes later with an earthquake rattling his mind, "Cisco?" he tried to press the button for the receiver in his ear but there was nothing there except a faint ringing. Barry heard a crack under his foot and he saw what was left of the com-a few wires and sparks.

"How did that happen?" he spoke softly to himself and bent down to pick apart the carcass of the communication device, he felt lightheaded from just doing that "It must've fell out while I was running I'm sure." He felt absolutely positive of it, that was what had happened to it no doubt.

Barry slipped his mask off his face and ran a hand through his brown hair. The pounding in his head was getting louder and he was getting tunnel vision. The training exercise must've worn his out but he had eaten enough Cisco Bars to last him. He was tense for some reason-anxious. The stormy sky still covered the city and thunder rolled off the clouds loudly. _I'd better head back to STAR Labs._

Barry zipped through the streets, his orange lightning flying off of him. He felt off for some reason, his head continuously hurt and he was going to go to Caitlin immediately to check it out. _My eyes burn too, ow._ Barry tried to keep them open but it was like someone had poured soap right onto them. His gloved fingers went up instinctively to rub them out but with his eyes closed Barry swerved and went flying into the streets.

"Whoa!" he yelled as his eyes watered and oncoming traffic was speeding over to him, "I can't see, Cisco, help!" But he remembered the receiver was broken. Barry lunged and dived to avoid getting run over by the cars but as he rounded a corner, virtually unable to see, something with the force of a dump truck slammed into him. The Flash went flying, all types of shapes and colors swimming before his irises as his back connected with the brick wall 500 feet away with a _crack._

He was hit. A car ran into him and sent him flying like a paper airplane. He knew immediately that his leg was broken and a few vertebrae were no doubt damaged. The mask cut into his swelling features and his suit was dusty and cut with blood. He heard car doors closing and people shouting in shock as the bricks came falling down around him when his body plugged a huge gaping hole into the side of a brick building.

"What was that?!"

"What did you hit?"

"It's the Flash!"

"I didn't hit him!"

"Someone, call for help!"

Barry groaned and rolled on the floor as mortar and bricks came spilling down around him like rain. He had opened his stinging eyes just enough to see a giant brick becoming bigger and bigger as it took a one-way trip to his face. He dodged it as fast as he could but it still scored the side of his cheek and eye. Barry exclaimed in pain.

 _I need to get back,_ Barry's mind moved at a hundred miles a minute as new adrenaline coursed through his veins.

Despite all the history he had with Harrison Wells (mainly because of Eobard taking his body), Barry thought of Harry from Earth 2 and Jay back at STAR Labs. They were like his mentors, other than his two father figures Henry and Joe. Harry and Jay, although holding deep dislike for one another, were two people he was sure he could trust and look to to learn.

 _Get up, Barry,_ he heard Jay's deep voice in his ringing ears.

The speedster hauled himself on shaky feet. There were lights, sirens, and shouts coming from the opposite side of the gaping hole in the brick wall he had made with his body. The last thing he had seen before being chucked like a football was the street sign "Central Ave". That meant STAR Labs was north towards uptown. Barry looked around him, his legs wobbly and his vision swimming. His back was hunched in an unnatural and pained position because of the probable dislocations in his spine and his right leg was dragging limply across the gravel.

"How am I going to make it back?" Barry could hear the shuffle of people coming closer.

There was no choice but to run. On a broken leg.

Barry took a deep breath, closed his red burning eyes and took a go.

He made it round the corner before he crashed and tumbled to the floor, his leg springing up painfully behind him. He did a full head tilt, the nape of his neck hitting the concrete flooring and he yelled into his elbow to keep the screams from attracting people to the dark strip of street he had found himself upon.

His suit was cut in several places, blood seeping from the various scratches on his body. The leg was bent awkwardly in an upwards angle and Barry tried to think of a makeshift splint he could wrap it up in. The blue and red flashing sirens illuminated the wall a little ways from him, and he knew it wouldn't be long before the police came snooping around to his small sanctuary.

Barry's head felt like it was having a migraine 10 times over. His eyes still felt like they were being burned out with acid and he needed to keep them closed for some relief. His temples were about to burst and his entire body had gone through the ringer.

Both Harry and Jay's voices echoed in his mind.

With his eyes closed, the injured speedster was feeling the asphalt under his fingertips for some sort of material to use as a makeshift splint. In the movies there was conveniently some bubble wrap and pieces of cardboard to wrap it up but this wasn't Hollywood. His fingers found a large way piece of aluminum from an old sign and another splintering piece of wood that would be unproportionate but he had to make do. He was also blessed with a stretchy bungee cord that would wrap around his calf a few times hopefully. Now, the hard part.

Barry gripped his lower leg carefully in both fingers, the muscles feeling tender under his rapidly mending skin. It would take a few hours-maybe all night-to fully heal. With his mouth buried into his shoulder, Barry closed his eyes and quickly flicked his wrists. The bones twisted beneath his skin and indignantly slid back into their relative positions. The Flash's yells were muffled once more.

 _What's happening to me?"_ he thought wearily.

And of course the cops were coming in his direction.

 _Of course._

The CSI resourcefully placed the aluminum and the wood pieces on each side of his leg and elevated a little to wrap the bungee cord around his calf. It took him a few tries because the job was tedious in the dark, his head and body felt like they were going to explode, and the delicate tissue and bone flared in fiery pain every time he made a slight movement.

 _Hurry up, hurry up!_ he willed himself and finally his fumbling fingers made a tight enough splint to temporarily support his broken leg.

Flashlights were nearing and Barry knew it was now or never. He set both feet on the ground regretfully and burst into a run.

He shouted in pain and effort, determination flooding his veins as he _would_ make it back to STAR Labs. There was no way he was going to stop or he'd never start again. Orange lightning crackled off his racing body as he hobbled (at 145 mpH) down the streets up north. He dodged traffic as his leg would allow but to anyone on the outside it would look like the Flash running but like a penguin and at a lot slower than usual.

"You can do it, Barry, come on, come on!" he urged himself to move forward. There was no time to lose. The corners of his vision were turning black with exhaustion and pain. The leg tagged along as his left leg took all the support and burned with exertion. The large circular STAR Labs building loomed ahead of him.

Barry never thought he would be so happy as to see those glass doors ahead of him with the logo in white writing. He felt his stinging eyes start to close and his body sway as his mind hurt like it did before when he was running pre-accident.

Images of Joe, Caitlin, Iris, Cisco, Harry, Patty, Jay, and Felicity racked his mind. Staying awake was his mission. If he couldn't do that then how was he to defeat Zoom?

The Flash burst through the doors like water from a dam. His mind was already fading and the world was twirling beneath his injured feet and body. He couldn't tell up from down and Barry was aimlessly speeding through the hallways until he fell back and his body crashed against the floor. He tried to open his eyes once again to see if he was safe or make a sound to signal someone but nothing came out. His internal and external pain radiated throughout his whole body and he could see some blood start to pool beneath him. The lights above swirled sickeningly in a clock-wise rotation.

The world went black in swirling chaos.

Harry was walking through the grey concrete halls of STAR Labs, a Big Belly Burger to-go bag in his hand. He was taking a sip out of his large fountain drink. His glasses were perched on his nose and navy blue cap on his slightly curly black hair. The day was overcast so he was clad in his black trench coat and his usual obsidian color long sleeve and pants.

It had been quiet for now. Ever since Zoom's first attack on this Earth and when he broke Barry's back, there had just been the usual meta-attacks. Nothing that the team couldn't handle. He wondered where everyone was. Maybe it was good that they stayed out of the way because Harry had only bought enough food for Jesse and him. He would need to steer clear of Ramon.

When he rounded the corner, the sight that greeted him was enough for him to drop the drink from his hand. He didn't even fully absorb what he had seen but immediately he let the to-go bag slide from his grip. Barry was lying sprawled on the floor, a sizable pool of blood was spilling from beneath him. His leg was supported by an awkward looking splint and his face was scratched and bleeding. The Flash was motionless.

"Barry?" Harrison sprinted down to the CSI's side and kneeled down. His skin was cold and caked with drying blood, "Barry, can you hear me?" his voice was urgent but the speedster wouldn't wake up. His voice echoed off the walls gravely. Where was everyone? Who knew how long Barry would've been here if he hadn't walked along. To the right of him on the concrete wall was the fire alarm. He pulled the lever down with three fingers and an alarm resonated through the whole complex. Red and white flashing lights illuminated the dim halls and he could hear some commotion down the halls, "Ramon, Snow! Get down here, now!"

Garrison Paul watched with sickening amusement. He was the one who had done this to the Flash. He was the one who had manipulated his bendable mind to his own will in revenge. It was out of bitterness and envy that the Scarlet Speedster would pay for his actions. Garrison looked on from his old warehouse on the street cameras of Barry Allen, the Flash, running through the streets helplessly as the after-effects of his powers caught up to him. It was intentional.

"You think you're so powerful, Mr. Allen?" Paul watched with satisfaction as the car collided with the red speedster and he was sent flying into a brick wall in the distance. Electricity zipped off him rapidly as he was cut off mid-run, "Try me."

Garrison was an aspiring therapist who worked with the mentally ailing patients at Central City Psychiatric. He was always told in the past that he had voice like silk and he could always talk his way out of a situation. His parents always pushed him to be a lawyer or a politician and use his voice to help the public, but Garrison Paul wanted to help society in a different manner. As a therapist, he would have the benefit of aiding the mentally insane who never had a second chance to fit in with society after being alienated because of their slight faults. It was wrong, and he was in the middle of hypnotic therapy with a patient-on the verge of breakthrough-when the freak storm hit. A wave swept through the facility and killed the patient he was working with, Garrison nearly died himself before he woke up in a hospital in a full-body cast. It took him almost two years to heal, nothing was too majorly damaged because he was flipped over during the wave and the desk protected him thankfully, but he knew something had changed. Everything he wanted, asked for, or thought about was answered instantaneously by anyone around him. He was just _thinking_ about ice chips when an orderly came in 30 seconds later with a small cup full of them. It scared him when once a short-tongued nurse was yelling at a young girl for walking the halls without her parent and he whispered under her breath to give herself an injection of Eszopiclone, a sedative he used on patients, and she walked to the medicine cabinet locked in his room and actually was about to pull the needle on herself. It wasn't until Garrison yelled for her to stop that she snapped out of it and walked away like it was nobody's business.

He vowed to never use his speech powers again, afraid of what might happen ever since the explosion at STAR Labs. Little by little, however, he used them for small things like free gum at the gas station or an extra pump of espresso in his coffee free of charge. But his addiction kept growing, the favors growing bigger and more out of control. This new gift was consuming him, corrupting his nature. Garrison decided to use his abilities at the facility to help his patients but their minds weren't like the normal ones of society. There was something a little off with their brains, like they were more in tune. He thought of it like the mentally ill minds operated at a more acute frequency than regular minds and it made it harder for them to listen to his convincing words.

Garrison, now used to the easy cooperation of people, grew frustrated with one patient who kept denying his words. He told him something bad, something _very_ bad. His anger made his abilities escalate and the power of his words finally pulled through. The patient ended up killing himself that night because of the horrible things Dr. Paul had planted into his mind. Living with this unimaginable guilt, he was fired his job in therapy and ended up getting evicted from his house after he couldn't find a stable job to pay the rent.

Then he saw the Flash. That young speedster, who had been struck just like Garrison, pulled out on top. While he was suffering and miserable, the Flash was running the streets like some sort of hero locking away all the other so-called "meta-humans" that were probably just like him. Garrison spent all of his life trying to help those isolated from society, the "freaks," and he ended up becoming one himself. It was time for the Scarlet Speedster to learn that not everyone can get a happy ending and that everyone's mind is easily bendable if you play around with it a little.

He caught the Flash, he was in his trap. Tomorrow, Mr. Barry Allen/the Flash would no longer be a national hero but a criminal. The Central City Bank would be in for a treat at 3:30 PM the next day as the man who was meant to save them would now be the one who ruined them.

 _It's time you see how to play the real game, Barry._

 ** _Till next time! Ch. 2 will be released soon!_**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you to everyone, here's chapter 2! It's rather long, but things are turning bad for Barry now! Oh no! Anyway, thank you to all my reviewers/favorites/followers/, it means a lot to me!**

Joe got the worst call of his life from Caitlin Snow while he was at the CCPD office. The words haunted him even now. He could hear the slight tremble in Caitlin's soft voice and his face turned white. Captain Singh came up to him in surprise to see if he was all right and he nodded numbly in return. The conversation played out in his head as clear as day.

 _"_ _Joe?"_

 _"_ _Hey, Caitlin, how's it going?"_

 _"_ _I have some bad news," she took a deep breath, "it's about Barry."_

 _Joe immediately sat down, "What's wrong?"_

 _"_ _He was found by Dr. Wells unconscious and severely injured in the halls," she breathed, "he is going to be fine, Barry heals quick but we think that if you were here it would be easier for him to explain what happened to him when he wakes up."_

 _"_ _C-can't Cisco play back the coms?" Joe's heart gripped with worry, he didn't want to question Bar when he just freshly woke up after an accident._

 _"_ _Barry's receiver malfunctioned in the field, the signal was there one minute then gone the next, we don't know what happened yet."_

 _"_ _That' s a pretty inconvenient time for something like that to happen, don't you think?" Joe snapped angrily._

 _"_ _Look, Joe, I know you are upset and worried about Barry but it would be best if you brought Iris and came down here with her to see him. He should wake up in a couple of hours, hopefully, and he will like it."_

 _"_ _Hopefully?" Joe growled, "So there's a chance he won't wake up? Is this going to be like the coma again?"_

 _"_ _No, of course not," Caitlin soothed, "we are trying everything we can here and his condition is getting better, albeit very slowly."_

 _"_ _How bad is it?" he spoke lowly._

 _"_ _Joe, maybe you should come here first-"_

 _"_ _How bad is it, Caitlin?!"_

 _"_ _3 cracked vertebrae, 4 dislocated, a broken leg, 5 fractured ribs, 2 bruised, a massive concussion, a punctured lung, 3 sprains in his right hand, 2 sprains and 1 dislocation in his left, a punctured spleen, bruises up and down his body, and multiple contusions in his jaw."_

 _"_ _Oh, God," Joe cried and wiped his hand across his face._

 _"_ _We got to work on him quickly, Joe, Barry will heal in time."_

 _"_ _But he's not invincible, Caitlin!"_

 _"_ _We'll talk when you come down here, I think it's best that way."_

 _"_ _Give me 15 minutes," and Joe hung up his cell._

Iris promised to meet him in the STAR Labs parking lot as soon as she could. He couldn't believe something like this could happen to Barry after all the advanced tech and gadgets that the team had been creating to _ensure_ his stepson's safety. Joe didn't just stand around there looking like an idiot when they used big words for no reason.

Detective West jumped out of his car and sprinted down the halls and through the cortex, "Where is he? Where's Barry?" He couldn't wait for Iris.

"Detective, wait," Caitlin, who was dressed in a slim-fitting purple dress and white lab coat place her hands on his shoulder's to slow him down, "Joe, please."

"I'm sorry, Caitlin, but if you don't move right now I _will_ arrest you," he gently shoved her away from him as Joe's eyes scanned the cortex for his Barry.

"For what crime!?" Caitlin followed him exasperatedly.

"For stopping me from seeing my stepson, now where is he?!"

"Detective," Harrison from Earth 2 emerged from one of the lab rooms in the cortex, "Barry is resting at the moment. Though I advise for you to wait until he awakens, I predict that you will ignore my advice."

"You got it right, Wells," Joe nodded, "now, I'm not going to ask again."

"Very well, follow me."

The detective walked in sync with the prestigious scientist. If someone told him a few months ago, after Eobard Thawne's death and the discovery of the murdered Harrison Wells, that he was going to be standing next to the brain behind the particle accelerator once more, he would've locked them in Iron Heights.

"What happened to him, Wells?" Joe asked once they were walking alone.

"We don't know," his voice was grim.

Detective West pulled Harry's arm back and his lean body faced Joe's bulkier one, "You know, I'm getting kind of damn tired of that excuse. You built the particle accelerator, Wells, I'm sure you can figure this one out."

Harrison took of his glasses, "Barry's monitors lost contact at 5:04 PM in the field while he was out on a practice exercise. He was just fine for one minute then dropped off the face of the Earth the next, so, when I say I don't know yet, then _I don't know."_

Harrison's scowl matched Joe's and he looked at the death grip that the detective was giving him. Joe reluctantly let go and kept following Wells down the corridor.

"I was coming back to the complex when I turned the corner and found him," Wells opened a secure door to reveal the form of Barry Allen on the bed. Joe gasped, "Luckily, I was there just in time. I called for Snow and Ramon and now here he is. Nothing too serious."

"Nothing to serious?!" Joe exclaimed, Barry looked like he had been run over by a freight train, "You don't find this serious?!  
"Barry heals, Detective, an advantage of his speed. Without it, he would've died a long time ago."

"Without it, he wouldn't be in this mess," Joe faced Harrison dead in the eye.

Harrison waited a beat before turning his gaze to the floor. Joe moved to Barry's bedside. His stepson was covered in bandages and casts. His jaw was an explosion of blue and purple bruises, a large cut was stitched together over his right eyebrow, his eyes were red-ringed and shallow, his skin was pale and clammy, both arms and hands were in casts and splints to support the multiple dislocations and fractures, his waist was covered by a blue blanket but the sight of thick gauze was peeking through from his abdomen, the skin above the ribcage was blanketed in purple bruises and bandages, his right leg was in a full cast, and the list continued. He didn't see how something so drastic could've happened to Barry on just a training exercise. Joe was about ready to have a panic _and_ heart attack had Barry not stirred.

"Wells," he said to get his attention, "It's Barry, I think he's waking up!"

"So soon?" Harrison came from the corner of the room to stand next to the detective, "Barry? Can you hear us?"

"Wh-where?" Barry, disoriented, spoke up.

"Oh, Bar," Joe sighed with relief, "are you all right, bud?"

"Joe?" he croaked.

"It's me, yeah," he smiled solemnly.

"Barry, do you know where you are?" Harrison spoke plainly.

"I-I think-I don't know, everything is kind of fuzzy," the injured speedster grimaced.

"That's the concussion talking," he murmured to Joe, "I'm surprised he even remembered you."

"Is it that severe?" Joe asked, surprised.

"We'll find out," he spoke louder, "you are at STAR Labs, Barry."

"Can someone turn down the lights?" Joe immediately turned around and clicked the lights off upon Barry's request.

"Barry, Joe has some questions to ask you," Harrison gave the floor to Joe who hit him in the arm.

They had a conversation via glares.

Joe: _It's not the time._

Harrison: _The sooner we know the better off he is._

Joe: _In a few hours, when he's not in pain!_

Harrison: _Now, Joe!_

 _"_ Uh, yeah, Bar," Detective West stepped out, _damn, Wells is good,_ "what can you remember?"

"I-I don't know if I even recall-" Barry's eyes were wide, he was anxious and nervous.

"Let me help," Wells reminded Barry of his training session with Cisco.

"Oh-oh, yeah, I think I remember," the CSI narrowed his eyes in concentration. His head still hurt from…he couldn't even remember that, "I stopped in an alley for a moment and then I just turned a corner and _boom!_

Barry's heart monitor spiked as he remembered the immense force and pain that hit him dead center.

"We don't have to finish now-" Joe started.

"No, Barry," Wells cut the detective off, "we need to finish."

He gave the scientist a menacing look but obeyed. Wells was right after all.

"Anything else?" Joe asked his ailing stepson.

"No, I mean I made some cast out of-I don't even know-I think it was wood and aluminum?" the brown haired young man furrowed his brows, "and then I ran here, I ran as fast as I could."

"What caused you to crash, Barry?" Harrison spoke thoughtfully, "because I know you, you wouldn't just crash like that-you couldn't. Was there another meta human that attacked you?"

There was a flash in Barry's eyes that died a moment later, "No, there weren't any other meta humans, I'm sure, but I do remember having this horribly throbbing headache and my eyes," he instinctively moved his hands up to touch them, "they burned real bad."

"Okay, well," Harry crossed his arms, "I think we've got the general gist of things, thank you."

"Yeah, and rest up," Joe gently patted Barry's leg

"Thanks, you guys," the speedster looked exhausted and rested his head back.

"You should be fully healed by tomorrow morning, Barry," Dr. Wells looked on at Barry who's eyes were closed. The heart monitor was slowing and his body was relaxed. There was a flash of some emotion in Harry's eyes, but it was gone quickly.

The two fathers stepped out of the room. One child the fastest man alive, the other kidnapped by a psycho speedster from a parallel Earth. Life was a little unusual.

Barry's eyes shot open. He felt unfamiliar of his surroundings at first until his exchange with Dr. Wells and Joe came flooding back to him. He was in STAR Labs, he had survived his crash. Barry looked around him and the clock said 3:12 PM. There was no one in the room he was resting in, the monitors beeped normally and majority of his pain was gone. He remembered yesterday with his massive headache and stinging eyes. What had that been all about? Maybe he was attacked by a meta human after all? No, that didn't seem likely, he would've remembered coming across one. Barry wasn't one to forget.

His mind felt like it was ready to go somewhere, but he just couldn't place where. His body felt good, albeit a little sore. His head was still spinning a bit but much clearer than a few hours ago. His broken leg was almost healed, his ribs had reattached, his dislocations had filled themselves, his stitches were disappearing under his skin, and he felt in much less pain that a little while ago. That was a hopeful thought. Without this super metabolism, he would've been dead a long, long time ago.

Barry gently pulled his still tender leg from out of the sling and sat upright on the bed. He was dressed in a STAR Labs issued gown and he had his familiar navy sweatshirt and grey sweats lying ready on the chair. He smiled, Caitlin thought of everything. He slipped on the sweatshirt and winced a little as his injuries were just freshly healed, they would need time.

The clock read 3:22 PM.

Barry rushed getting ready, he felt like he needed to get out of STAR Labs quickly.

He exited his room after detaching himself from all the monitors and slipped on normal clothes. The hallways echoed with sounds like generators buzzing and the faint voices of Dr. Wells and Cisco. Barry was passing by the Cortex hallway when he heard the two arguing about some technological machine.

"No, no," Cisco shook his head, slightly frustrated, "that would never work!"

"Think about it, Ramon, the Uranium-235 goes into the rods of the fusion chamber, that's how it's always been!" Wells shouted back.

"You don't need to decrease the volume of space in the reactor if you can insert the alpha particles just as is!"

Barry heard the two battling genius' voices grow fainter as he tiptoed past the doorway. He didn't want to be bombarded with questions or tests right now if he saw them. _I'll be back later._ Barry looked down at his watch, the clock said 3:26 PM. He needed to hurry, he felt he had to.

The speedster, quick as a flash, ran downstairs to Cisco's Lab to see the Flash Suit in repair on his desk. There were holes in the fabric and multiple new punctures and blood stains as result of his accident. With his speed, Barry slipped his body into the suit. He felt power surge through his veins and his irises crackled with electricity. He sped down to the STAR Labs doorway and busted through like he hadn't been outside in months. The air felt amazing on his skin and the wind rushed by him. The cars honked, the buildings loomed, and the Flash ran. That's the way Central City should be.

He was passing through the main square in town where the Town Clock read 3:30 PM. Barry's eyes burned, his head ached with the force of a tornado. _Not again!_

There was a red haze that clouded his vision and all at once he saw a stranger in his mind with the most mesmerizing eyes. Barry remembered what this Man in Black had told him. Central City Bank was less than 2 miles from his location. _So, that's where I was running to?_ He smiled evilly, _Smart, Barry Allen_. The people in Central City were too greedy anyway, it was about time they learned how to deal with some empty pockets. Barry ran into the nearest store and came out with some sizable duffle bags in his hands. The alarms beeped from the market and Barry laughed deviously before running on. He didn't want to be late to see The Stranger, Barry wasn't a punctual person but when this man said 3:30 he would do _everything_ in his power to be damned sure he made the punchline.

Central City Bank was a large white building towards downtown guarded with high security and minimal exits. _Piece of cake_ , he narrowed his eyes and smiled. The red haze made everything seem more acute and intense, like he could feel the blood pumping in his own body. It was an amazing feeling, he felt carefree yet his thoughts were only glued to one thing: rob the CCB. His legs carried over to the entrance at 700 mpH and the glass shattered upon his entrance through the double doors. Barry spun round and round in circles through the whole lobby as people screamed and ducked behind counters and chairs. Orange lightning crackled through the air and a small electrical storm, similar to the night his mom died, started to build up in the interior of the bank. The tellers were too busy hiding from their own shadows to guard the giant steel vault at the back of the bank. Barry remembered what Jay had taught him. As he kept going round and round, the Flash caught one of his own lightning bolts and chucked it in the direction of the electrical keypad that kept the vault closed at all times.

It slid open invitingly. The speedster smiled delightfully, his eyes holding a certain venom to them as he stood in the steel doorway admiring the piles of cash that awaited him. Utilizing his speed, Barry filled up three duffle bags full of stacked bills and gold bars. The bags were swung around his shoulders and he winked at a nearby cowering teller before zipping out of the doorway once again. The clock read 3:31 PM. A little tardiness wouldn't be uncalled for.

As Barry flew through the streets, he felt something inside him say it was necessary to run by a few cameras so they'd catch a glimpse. He saw bright white flashes as police cameras snapped his photo. He was excited to see it in the front page tomorrow.

He remembered the Stranger telling him to meet at a warehouse on 42nd Street. With the duffle bags chalk full of cash, Barry skidded to a stop on dirty concrete. The warehouse was abandoned and old, the walls were stripped and hanging together by nails, mysterious splatters stained the floor, and there was a dark dusty feel to it.

"Hello?" Barry called, "Are you here?"

"I was beginning to think you weren't going to show up, Mr. Allen," the man revealed himself from the shadows. His black outfit blended in with the dark so it looked as if only his white hands and smiling pale face were visible.

"I don't disappoint," Barry smiled smugly and threw the three bags down, "I've got what you asked for."

The Stranger's brown eyes suddenly powered up and they became that gradient of color Barry couldn't look away from. His body felt relaxed and free to command at will to whatever this Man in Black wanted him to do. The unknown man cautiously walked forward and unzipped the duffle bags; loads of green bills made his smile sparkle.

"Very good, I'm impressed, but you are two minutes late, Flash," the man smiled like the Cheshire Cat, "that is an unusual flaw for a man of your capabilities."

Barry didn't say a word, he just looked into the eyes of The Stranger.

"Tell me, Mr. Allen, about yourself," Garrison wanted a little back story on the Flash, "tell me about your family, friends, your life _outside_ of the Flash suit."

Barry found himself compelled to tell this stranger about his life, "My mother was killed in front my eyes by another speedster, The Man in Yellow; we ended up killing him but not without the sacrifice of Eddy Thawne." There was not emotion in Barry's voice, no voice cracks, no feeling. He was completely and utterly entrance; rather like he was telling a story to someone than his own horrible past, "My father was wrongfully locked away in Iron Heights Prison because he was accused for her murder. My step-father Joe took me in and I've grown up with them as a CSI intended to find my mother's killer."

"And you found him, this Man in Yellow," Garrison purred as Barry Allen's eyes reflected complete submission, "did you enjoy it when he died."

"Very," Barry's fists clenched and his eyebrows were a straight line.

"Good, Mr. Allen, that's what I want you to feel, it's not wrong. A death is another casualty, people die in war. It's a natural thing."

"It's a natural thing," Barry repeated quietly, sounding convinced of this himself.

"I believe I can bring out the true speedster in you, Mr. Barry Allen, the Flash doesn't need to be cooped up in there under _morality_ ," Paul was talking as if he was having a casual conversation with a friend, "and in giving me this information, you have put yourself at a large disadvantage."

"In what way?"

"Now where would the fun be if I told you that," Garrison smiled evilly. Barry didn't realize that in sharing your personal life, fears, delights, and worries it would be easier for Paul to command Barry's mind now that he knew the soft spots to press. Mr. Allen wasn't going anywhere soon, he was going to be with him for a long time, until he found it right to kill him. The true therapist was coming out of Dr. Garrison Paul once more.

"Are you ready for your next assignment?" the pupils glowed, Barry nodded.

While putting the duffle bags on a small cart, the man commanded the speedster, "Tomorrow I want you to go to the CCPD impound lot and steal three armored cars for me, bring them to the edge of town on the South side. Along the way I want you to take out 5 cops, for the newspapers."

"Take out?" something inside Barry stirred, "As in…kill?"

"What else do you expect, Flash?" the stranger's lip curled, he dropped the bags with hard force and Barry flinched, "if you ever question my orders again you will run once more and purposely stand in front of a _bus_ rather than a car this time to understand my full message."

That spark of retaliation was quickly snuffed out by the power in this man's eyes. Barry would willingly stand in front of a _train_ if this man ordered it.

"You will run Barry Allen, you will go back to STAR Labs with your friends," Garrison pulled up on his laptop the lab cameras he had hacked to see the workers there buzzing around in panic. They realized the Flash suit had been taken, "Dr. Wells is coming to your room right now, Barry, you will run back and the second you make it into your bed I want you to fall asleep immediately, but drop the Flash suit in your step-father's office at CCPD. We don't want them to get suspicious of you now, do we?" Garrison laughed cynically, this felt like a drama tv show he was organizing, "When you wake up, you will not remember a thing, you were in your bed the whole time. I will take care of the footage for the cameras."

Barry Allen nodded, he liked that idea, "Whatever you want, sir."

"Sir?" the stranger's eyebrows raised, "I like it, now off you go."

Electricity burst in the Flash as he turned his body and ran out of the warehouse. He passed by cop cars surrounding the Central City Bank. Flash tossed his head back and laughed in bitter satisfaction.

 _Remember, Barry Allen, you have no recollection of me or your whereabouts. You never robbed the bank, you don't know about the plans for tomorrow, you will act as if nothing has ever happened,_ that silky voice echoed in his ears.

Barry swept through the doors of CCPD, no one knew he was there. He deposited the Flash suit on Joe's desk and smiled smugly. He was dressed back in his STAR Labs sweater, grey sweat pants, and white converse. Barry ran back to STAR Labs and burst through the front doors and through the cortex. Papers flew past him but he jumped into bed. He could hear the footsteps of Dr. Wells coming towards the room. The minute his head hit the pillow, a sudden surge of exhaustion pumped through him and he fell fast asleep.

 **20 MINUTES EARLIER**

Cisco had it up to _here_ with Harry. He was an obnoxious, cocky, egotistical, annoying son of a-

"What. The. Heck," Ramon stopped dead in his tracks as he came into his lab.

Everything was in order. No tools misplaced, no wires cut, but one Flash suit was missing.

Dread filled Cisco's body, where could it have gone? He knew for sure that he left it there on his desk so he would come and repair since Barry was resting and healing.

"Um," Cisco shouted, "Harry, can you come down here, please?"  
"Not now, Ramon!" he heard the muffled reply.

Cisco rolled his eyes, "Dr. Wells, I really think you need to see this!"

"I'm in the middle of an equation!" the tart response came back.

"Harry, would you get down here!"

He heard heavy stomps from the cortex come all the way down to his lab, "Cisco, what is it! I've already told you not to bother me with your questions while I'm working," the tall scientist folded his arms crossly.

 _Jeez, he is intimidating,_ Cisco thought to himself.

"Well," he laughed nervously, "Harry, um, have you by any chance seen the Flash suit around-anywhere-at all?"

"You lost it?" the words were sharp and curt, like a dagger cutting through the air.

"No-no! Of course not-pshh-why would you think-" He saw Harrison's mighty glare behind those trendy glasses, "okay, I didn't lose it, it's disappeared."

"So, the Flash suit magically grew legs and ran out of here in the middle of Central City, is that it?" Harrison said bitterly.

"No, that's not what I'm saying," Cisco shook his head, "someone must've taken it."

"Who?" Harrison raised his arms, "No one in this compound would just _take_ the Flash suit."

"Unless," a new thought came to the young engineer's mind and he ran out of the lab. Harrison saw that Ramon was on to something and he followed him.

Cisco took them down to the pipeline. All the evil meta-humans were holed up here. It was very possible one of them had escaped.

"Check the status of all the cells," Cisco ordered Harrison as he went over to open the pipeline doors, "make sure that none of them opened in the last 24 hours."

After a moment, a reply came from Harrison, "I don't know, Ramon, it doesn't seem likely. None of the cells have been opened."

"Well, then who took the thing?" Cisco grew frustrated, he loved that suit more than his own brother. That thing was precious-an embodiment of beautiful and innovative technology.

"That's what we'll find out, meanwhile, go and put the facility under lockdown. I'm going to go check on Barry," The doctor had a grim thought, he hoped it wasn't true.

 **Chapter 3 will be coming out soon!**


	3. Chapter 3

**SPOILER ALERT: For those of you who haven't fully watched season 2, there is a spoiler in this chapter! If you don't want to know (I still encourage you to read it) but beware! Don't say I didn't warn you ;) Anyway, leave me a review and thanks for all the followers and favorites!**

"Barry?" Harrison walked into the room quietly. The speedster was lying asleep on the bed motionless. He was wearing his usual STAR Labs sweats and his eyes didn't move behind their lids. The boy probably hadn't moved in hours. Something caught Harrison's eyes, however, his chest rose and fell rapidly like he had been running. The scientist was confused, Barry couldn't have gone out of the complex he would've heard him obviously and the cameras must've detected them. There was only one way to find out.

He went downstairs past Cisco's lab, past his own lab, past his temporary quarters, past the supply room, until he got to the surveillance room. There were monitors displaying the whole of STAR Labs. A headache was starting to build-up in the back of his head and he rubbed his eyes as they started to sting. After a few seconds, he blinked away the soreness in his eyes and looked back down at the screen. He typed in the cortex passcode and played the footage back from yesterday night when they had brought Barry into his bed. The usual people and crew appeared: Iris, Joe, Caitlin, Cisco, himself, but as he fast-forwarded the footage there was nothing wrong. It just showed Barry waking up, changing his clothes, and then he flops right back down again. There was no sign that he had been gone, no sign that he had adopted his alter-ego as the Flash for a little run.

Harry sat back in his chair and watched through the monitor where Barry Allen continued to lie on the bed. His headache was starting to build up even more and the painful stinging was returning in his pupils. _Oh great, just what I needed,_ he thought sarcastically. Despite this slight inconvenience, something was going on and Dr. Wells was going to find out what that was-it was what he excelled at.

"Where is he?" Jay Garrick came running into the room. Caitlin's heart jumped slightly as his tall built form was fitted into a tight stylish shirt and grey pants. His eyes held worry for Barry the young speedster and he scanned the room in search of him.

"Jay," Caitlin greeted him solemnly, "Barry is going to be fine, he's healing right now."

"He is? Good," But Jay still seemed antsy, "where is he, Cait, I need to see him."

"I'll take you," she patted his arm lightly and he followed her tall figure down the halls of the facility. Jay followed as her white lab coat trailed behind her and she made a few turns throughout the STAR Labs facility. Finally they stopped at a room with a glass door and inside there was Barry Allen lying on his side in the bed, asleep.

"How long has he been out for?" he asked seriously to Caitlin.

"It's been touch and go," she replied softly, "he's been sleeping mostly for almost a day now, but he's woken up once or twice and he hasn't done anything too rigorous."

"But he should be better by now," Jay's brows furrowed, "I remember as a speedster that it would only take a few hours not a whole day to heal. Are you sure he wasn't doing anything tiring or something before?"

"Jay, I'm sure you were an amazing hero," Caitlin said lightly, "but Barry after all is younger and more inexperienced than you. The crash was bad, so many things were broken and failing that I don't blame him, especially with the added stress of Zoom and all the metas from Earth-2. His body is still changing ever day so it is very possible that not every speedster has the same metabolism and healing factors as you did."

"Right," his one-worded sentence was emotionless as he was lost deep in thought, "is it all right if I have a few moments with him alone?"

Caitlin dipped her head, "Of course, take all the time you need."

Her heels clicked as she walked down the hall and back to her medical station. Jay Garrick-his adopted ego-looked down at Barry with cold eyes. Jay, well, actually Hunter Zolomon, couldn't believe the Flash was stupid enough to get hit by a car of all things. With speed comes experience and with experience would come knowledge, but you would think avoiding speeding cars in traffic was common _sense._ What did he expect, Barry Allen was just a boy who thinks he can take out a monster like himself. He needed to give the young man time though to fully heighten his abilities before making the power play. Mr. Allen has so many friends for Hunter to choose from as perfect motive. Maybe he would start with that new Wally kid who made it into town, Iris's brother and Joe's son. That would create a real nice rift and Barry would never refuse Zoom at that point. His hopeless sense of morale and pathetic ethical codes are what ruin him.

Barry could sleep and rest all he wanted but if only he knew that Zoom was standing above him _all the time_. Whether at his healing bedside, or training sessions, or family outings, Jay Garrick was now a part of the Flash Team. _You think Barry would learn from Dr. Wells AKA the Reverse Flash from last year._ Like he said, Mr. Allen was pathetic and hopeless. There was no way he could defeat someone like himself. Hunter was experienced and immensely fast, it was remarkable Barry even survived the last time. His plans had moved him on to better things.

He would wait there until Barry woke up, just to make sure things were all right. He would adopt that hero alter-ego of his, Jay Garrick, and put on a show of sympathy and care. _Pathetic,_ he thought to himself. Zoom set himself down in the chair and watched as Barry rested; this would be a piece of cake for him.

The young speedster felt his eyes open slowly and he drank in his surroundings. He remembered the cortex and his conversation with Wells and Joe. Good, that was a start. He lifted his head up slightly to see Jay sitting in the chair by the door. His head was resting upon his fingertips and his eyeballs moved behind their closed lids. Barry didn't want to wake Jay up if he was sleeping so he gently and quietly tried to spin his legs over the bed with minimal noise. Garrick immediately perked up and his eyes shot wide open; they had a menacing look to them for a second until it was back to regular old Jay.

"Barry, you're up, how are you feeling?" he said sincerely.

"I'm feeling okay, just a little bit of a residual headache, nothing too bad," he smiled gratefully and rubbed his hands across his face, "what's been going on? How long have I been out now?"

Jay quickly filled him in, "I know that Harrison Wells has been asking to have a word with you."

Barry could sense the dislike in Garrick's voice towards the scientist.

"I'll go see him," Allen stood up too quickly and faltered a little.

It took everything for Hunter to not use his super speed to help Barry stand. He needed to act normal and like a human, no powers. Jay ran over to the young CSI's side and grabbed his arm, "Whoa, are you all right, Barry? I'll get Caitlin-"

"No, no," he shrugged him off, "no need, I just haven't been on my feet for a while."

The clock read 4:23 PM.

He stood up, without Jay's help, and began to walk through the cortex with Garrick behind him. The mistrust he had towards the Earth-2 speedster had quickly dissipated after getting to know him a little and now he trusted him with his life.

Harrison was in the main lab tweaking a new little project he had working on. When he saw the two men come into his area, he pulled some papers over his experiment plans. Harry was a paranoid and reserved person, he didn't like to share his ideas with everyone.

"Barry, Garrick," Harrison leaned against his workshop table, "I'm glad to see you up and around," he looked to the Flash.

"Thanks, Dr. Wells," Barry scratched the back of his neck, "Jay said you wanted to see me?"

"Yes, I did," Harry looked to Jay whose arms were crossed and giving him a distasteful stare, "Mr. Garrick, do you mind leaving us for a moment?"

He didn't say a word and turned to quickly stride out of the lab.

"What's with him?" the young speedster looked to the doctor.

"Earth-2 rivalry," he sighed and shook his head, "but that's not why I wanted you to come in, Barry."

"Yeah?"

"I wanted to tell you that the Flash suit was reported missing yesterday."

"What?" his eyes widened with worry and shock, "what happened to it? Where is it? Who took it?"

"Cisco is running a tracker now, apparently he had installed a GPS signal in there but it went dormant right before it was stolen," his eyebrows creased, "you wouldn't happen to know anything about what, would you?"

A familiar stinging and nasty headache bombarded him at once. He pressed two fingers on the bridge of his nose, "No-no, I don't know, why would I?"

"Yes, how would you know?" Harry's tone was questioning, "are you okay?"

The aches started to fade and Barry growled, "Why is everyone asking me that? I'm perfectly fine, there are bigger things we need to worry about like who stole my Flash suit!"

"Why don't we go down to Cisco's Lab, he was running the tracer about an hour and a half ago so he should be receiving some signal soon."

Barry nodded determinedly and jogged out of the room.

Harry stood there for a moment. Nothing made sense, the puzzle pieces weren't fitting together properly.

 _You're a genius, Harrison, for God's sake, why can't you figure this out?_ he scolded himself.

Everything was awry and didn't make sense: Barry getting into a major accident on a training exercise and having little to no recollection of it, the mysterious disappearance of the Flash suit, and the cameras not suggesting any sort of evidence that it was stolen. What was going on? He narrowed his eyes suspiciously and walked out to see Cisco.

Joe flopped down into his chair at the CCPD office. It had been a grueling 24 hours. With Barry's accident, the Central City Bank robbery, and, even worse, the Flash being the perpetrator who stole $400,000 dollars in unmarked bills. Captain Singh was in uproar as every officer-off duty or not-was hitting the streets in search of possible suspects. There was no hope, all clues pointed to the Scarlet Speedster being the infamous robber.

It had to be an imposter, it couldn't be Barry, there was no way. He didn't think that there was an evil bone in his stepson's body. He couldn't accept the facts even though they were all pointing to one person.

Singh angrily barged into his office and disrupted his thoughts. His face was a mask of frustration and anger and he threw four photos down on Joe's desk.

"Look at this, West," Singh pointed to the four surveillance camera photos, "the son of a gun even _posed_ for his photos."

Sure enough, they were photos from the traffic cameras on 17th street of the Flash mid-run and giving a thumbs-up to the cameras. He was hauling three duffle bags behind him with the missing money and his orange lightning crackled behind him. It was Barry. Joe could tell from his green eyes and sharp jawline that it was his adopted son.

"That's," Detective West sighed, "unbelievable."

"I know!" Singh was outraged, "You'd think this guy would have a little bit of sense in him! I knew it, I knew all along that the Flash was just fooling us all, I mean what a deception! You get in good with the people, the crowd, the city, then BAM! You rob us blind."  
"I don't know, Captain, I mean why would he start stealing now after everything he's done?"

"He's a natural born liar, he's a criminal, and he's a meta-human, that's why," Singh spoke ferociously, "you can't trust them, I mean look at the ones from the past! Kyle Nimbus, that shark-thing! It's ridiculous!"  
"But he's spent a year locking away those guys, why turn his back now?"

"I don't know, West," the Captain looked at him with suspicion, "are you saying that the Flash isn't the perp and he's innocent?"

"Sorry, Cap," West straightened up, "I'm a detective, I ask lot's of questions."

"Yeah, well, start asking the right ones and get back to work. Send every available officer down 17th and get on his path, he must've dropped that money off somewhere," Singh left the room and the photos with Joe.

It was like a horrible punch to the gut to see his son being accused of all these terrible crimes. Barry was at STAR Labs healing, he wouldn't be able to get up and do this and the employees there would've seen him. There was absolutely no way.

Something red caught his eye and he whipped around. Behind his chair, there was the Flash suit. Joe's eyes widened and he stumbled backwards. What the heck was it doing here! Anyone could've come across it and immediately taken a DNA sample, a hair sample, a skin sample-any sample-and identified Barry Allen as the Flash! This was ridiculous and confusing, what was going on down there at the Lab?! He looked around wildly to see if anyone had caught sight of him or the super suit and he folded it up in his arms. There were the bloodstains and tears from the accident last night and he specifically remembered Cisco taking the suit down to his lab for repair. Why did Ramon bring it here, then? _Did_ he bring it here? Who would want Joe to see the suit? There was no time to ask; he quickly stuffed it into his briefcase and shrugged on his coat. Joe needed to take it back down to STAR Labs so they could get cracking on the real situation. He pulled his beanie over his head and wearing his long pea coat and bag, Detective West exited the precinct.

"Cisco, where we at?" Barry came rushing into the lab to see Ramon hard at work at his computer. His fingers were typing furiously on the keyboard and there was a look of complete focus in his eyes.

"Barry," he acknowledged him without even looking up from the monitor, "glad to see you're okay, bud."

"Thanks, man," Allen clapped his hand on Cisco's shoulder, "any sign of the suit?"

"Harry told you, huh?" his eyes flitted back and forth across the screen, "We're almost there, if I can just access the power save mode and-here we go!"

He cracked his knuckles and typed at lightning speed, "It says the suit is-"

"Where?" Barry pressed as Cisco hesitated.

"Here," his eyebrows narrowed, "it's here in STAR Labs."

"What?" Harry looked at him with confusion, "that's not possible, we looked everywhere, we couldn't find it."

"Dr. Wells!" a new voice called from the hall, it sounded like Detective West, "you here?"

"Joe?" Harrison greeted him, "what are you-"

He stopped when he saw the red Flash suit in the detective's hands, "Where did you get that?" he said sinisterly.

"Joe?" Barry looked at him with hurt in his eyes, "did you _take_ my suit?"

"What? No-never!"

"Where did you find it?" Harry asked with dangerous composure.

"It was at my office," Joe explained, "I was getting ready to go to the bank scene when I find this," he held up the suit, "and I came here-by the way," he looked at Barry with seriousness, "we need to talk."

"Yeah, we need to talk!" Barry's temper grew, "why was it at your office, that's my suit, Joe, how am I supposed to go and save Central City while your keeping hold of it like I'm 13 again!"

"Saving Central City?" Joe raised a condescending brow, "then how do you explain these?"

He tossed the photos of the Flash running down 17th to the speedster.

"What?" Barry looked at it with disbelief and confusion, "who did this? Who's wearing my suit!"

"That's you, Bar," Joe said grimly.

Barry scrutinized the photos more carefully, "No, that's not, it's not."

"Let me see them," Harry came over and took the evidence from Barry's shaky fingers. He examined them carefully and precisely from behind his stylish lenses. They definitely looked like Barry. _Nothing is making sense!_

"Barry," Harrison didn't know how to put this carefully, he was becoming agitated, "are you sure you didn't wake up at all or do anything?"

"Why would I be lying!" Allen defended himself, "Guys, listen to yourselves you're blaming the wrong person, we should be spending our time trying to find out who took my suit, why he left it at Joe's office, and why he's impersonating the Flash running through the city!"

"Look," Cisco interfered as tensions were rising, "I'll run some DNA tests on the suit to see if there may have been someone else wearing it other than you or Joe."

"What's going on?" Jay walked in with Caitlin following.

"Of course, now you show up," Harry rolled his eyes in irritation and crossed his arms.

"What's that supposed to mean, Wells?" Jay narrowed his eyes.

"Nothing you would understand, Garrick," he retorted.

"Let's take a step back, okay?" Caitlin came in between them, "someone just kindly tell me and Jay what happened, maybe we can help."

"I found this in my office," he held up the burgundy suit, "I don't know why or who put it there, but there are also these," he gave the surveillance camera pictures to Jay and Caitlin to see.

"Barry, you did this?" Jay looked at him with shock and disappointment.

"No!"

"That's what we're trying to figure out," Cisco cut in. Harry noticed how he didn't mention whether he thought Barry was the CCB robber or not, "I'm going to run a DNA Test to make sure."

"I can help with that," Caitlin added and Cisco nodded as they took the Flash suit from Joe and exited the room to go downstairs.

Barry looked at his suit as Cisco held it in his hands. That outfit was supposed to be a symbol of honor and courage throughout Central City, now it was a symbol of fear.

The clock read 4:47 PM.

"Barry, what's going on with you?" Joe placed both his hands on his hips, "are you absolutely positive that you didn't take off during the night?"

"And rob a bank?!" Barry said outraged towards his adopted dad's accusation, "Joe, you know I would never do that!"

"Can we check the cameras?" Jay inputed.

"Already did, Barry was here the whole time," Wells remembered looking at the footage and saw no evidence of their speedster leaving the facility.

"See, I didn't leave," Barry looked to Harrison then back at Joe who was silent but still wary, "why don't you believe me, Joe?"

"Because of these!" he threw down the photos, "Barry, I don't want to believe it-honest to God, I don't-but I raised you! I know you when I see you, Bar, and that's definitely you."

"What about the meta-humans, wasn't there one that could take on the appearance of anybody?" Jay thought.

"Yeah, but he died," Barry shook his head, "it has to be someone else."

"Who?!" Joe was getting upset now, he didn't want to believe what he was thinking but right now it seemed the only explanation.

"Before we jump to conclusions," Harrison ran a hand through his hair, "let's wait for the DNA tests to come in and we'll go from there."

"Yeah," Barry said tartly, his eyes blazing and staring straight at Joe, "I've got to be somewhere anyway."

The clock read 4:55 PM.

He angrily scooped up his jacket from the chair and was walking quickly out of the room, "Wait, Barry, where are you going?!" Joe called.

"What do you care?!" he snapped, "I thought you just wanted to lock up criminals like me!" he stormed out of the room, his fury palpable in the air.

"I'll go follow him-" as Jay was walking out of the room to catch up to Barry, Harrison put a hand to his chest to stop him.

"He's run off, Garrick, you can't catch him, you've just got to wait till he shows up again. By then the DNA test will be in and we will have a more concrete answer."

"I think right now we should all pool our evidence together and see if we can cross Barry off as a suspect," Joe sat down at the table and both men joined him to get to work.

"Hey, Cisco?" Caitlin started off the conversation as the suit was being placed back in the glass case after Cisco repaired it brilliantly, "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure, Cait, anything," he smiled warmly at her.

"Do you think Barry was acting a little strange right now?"

"Strange how?" Cisco narrowed his eyebrows.

"I don't know," she shrugged, "angrier?"

"Well, he's being accused of committing a horrible crime, risking his superhero rep, and the people he loves most are turning against him," Cisco said thoughtfully, "I think he has the right to be a little upset."

"I agree with you," she nodded, "so you think he's innocent, right, you don't think he robbed the bank do you?"

"I don't know what to think," he shook his head, "there's tangible evidence pointing to Barry was at the scene, he did take $400,000 and smiled for the cameras, there are multiple eye-witnesses, but then Harry said there was no evidence of Barry leaving STAR Labs on the cameras and he has no memory of doing so. I mean, do you honestly believe Barry-our Barry-is capable of doing something like that then lying about it?"

"No," she said firmly, "I don't think he is. I just feel that maybe with Zoom and the new meta humans that Barry is cracking."

"Cait, that guy has been through hell and back and survived," Cisco smiled, "he can handle anything," the suit was back in place in its display and was gleaming proudly, "I fixed all the tracers on the suit and placed a back-up mode that can activate for 5 hours if anyone tries to tamper with the controls. Plus, there's also a camera right in the display just in case someone else decides to take my suit."

Caitlin laughed, "God forbid the suit was taken."

"I swear, that thing is more family to me than my own brother," they both chuckled and exited the cortex.

The lights were off, the room was quiet, and a young speedster lurked silently in the halls. He waited for Cisco and Caitlin to leave the cortex with his newly repaired Flash suit before stepping inside. Barry looked at the suit-his symbol of honor and courage.

His eyes narrowed, it was now a symbol of fear and he'd like to keep it that way. His head ached dimly and his eyes had a mild burn. He just learned to accept these new pains, it would soon be drowned out and normal to him. It was 4:58 PM and he had a date with the CCPD at 5 o'clock. _I'd better dress nice,_ he thought slyly.

Barry ran with his super speed and quickly fit into his suit like a glove. With his hands he pulled the mask over his head and electricity crackled through him. Barry raced down to the front doors of the facility and burst out like a bullet from a barrel.

Cars and traffic honked and sped by him but Barry was going faster. Glass shattered from stalled car windows and papers flew about him. The feeling of this energy coursing through his limbs was great, but he heard a voice in his head.

" _Glad you could make it, Barry,"_ the now familiar voice of the Stranger echoed through his mind, " _the Central City Police Department is awaiting your arrival."_

"Three armored cars, got it," he spoke lowly to himself.

" _What else have I requested?"_ the speedster heard a sharp snarling in his ears and his headache amped up.

"Take out the cops," he said obediently.

" _How many, Mr. Allen,_ " the growling in his head was intense.

"Five of them."

" _Very good, I'll be waiting for you like I did yesterday. Don't screw this up."_

Barry could see the precinct in front of him and he charged it head on.

 **Chapter 4 will be released soon!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey, everyone, another chapter! Love all of the reviews/favorites/follows! I hope you all are enjoying it! Leave me a little comment if you could, it's greatly appreciated! Enjoy!**

Iris had come in to see Joe at his office at the CCPD. She was worried about him ever since Barry's accident; he seemed jumpy and on edge. Especially since on the front page of her office's newspaper was a picture of Barry the Flash running with $400,000 on his back from the robbed Central City Bank. She believed her eyes deceived her and that there had to be some mistake because that couldn't be Barry. It just couldn't.

"Captain," she knocked on his door and he looked up hurriedly. His desk was a tornado of papers and evidence photos, "have you seen my dad around?"

"No, Iris, if I had a detail on every cop, then I would be out of a job," he said tartly, "you're gonna have to keep looking on your own, and by the way, if you see him around let him know that the Captain's been asking for him."

"Sorry," she said a little taken aback, but she couldn't blame him of his attitude. With the CCB robbery and the Flash turning evil, who wouldn't have a full plate like his?

There was a familiar rush of wind, a crackle of orange lightning, and a glimpse of a red suit. _Barry? What's he doing here?!_

Iris looked on with wide shocked eyes as she saw her adopted brother come to a halt at the top of the railing on the second floor. It reminded her of the photos she saw in the papers where Zoom held Barry like a rag doll while invading the precinct.

"Hello, officers," Barry had a devious smile on his face.

 _What is he doing? He knows that there is rumors of a Bad Flash going around, he's going to get shot!_

 _"_ Barry," she whispered under her breath and desperately willed his eyes to meet hers. She shook her head as a sign. They quickly caught sight of the movement and his green hazel irises stared directly into her own. They were callous and cold, mischievous and sharp. This wasn't the Barry she knew, this was someone new entirely but she wasn't mistaken. The man under the mask was her very own Barry Allen.

"Good evening!" he raised his arms up and smiled. Every officer available was staring at him warily, "a beautiful night here in Central City!"

He was overconfident, talking like a bully would to a smaller kid. His powers gave him the advantage over these officers and Iris was caught right in the middle of it _once again._

"Everyone" Singh yelled over his hesitant officers, "guns trained on the Flash!"

"Oh," the speedster clapped happily but his eyes were radiant with mischief and destruction, "how precious. You really didn't need to go out of your way any of you, thank you for this I'm truly honored."

Some officers exchanged a few glances with one another but nonetheless had their guns trained on the Scarlet Speedster.

"Did everyone like my little act yesterday?" Barry said blatantly, "down at Central City Bank? That _was_ me, you do know that, right? $400,000 in unmarked bills, sheesh, that's got to hurt-I mean really sting."

"There's a confession," Captain Singh said under his breath, "damn it, is anyone recording this?"

Iris, although hesitant, pulled out her recorder she used to get statements from people for the paper. The minute she clicked it on, it set off a little beep. Her heart clenched as Barry's head whipped her way; he heard it as well. There was a flash in his eyes as a rough wind filled the room. Down the stairs the speedster came and snatched the recorder from her hand. When she opened her eyes again, the Flash was back at the top of the stairwell, the device in his gloved grip. Even worse, there was an officer up there too, his gun emptied and dismantled.

"Now," he snarled dangerously, "that wasn't very nice of you, Iris."

She gulped and stared straight at him. His eyes looked oddly red, but this wasn't her Barry she could feel it deep down within her. No matter how alike they looked or seemed, her brother would never do such a thing like this to her or any of these officers.

 _"_ Where was I?" he made a show of scratching his head with the butt of the gun, the barrels of every officer's weapons were pointed directly at his chest. Her heartbeat escalated, "Oh, yes! I have a little favor to ask of you all, would anyone care to help me?"

No one moved a muscle.

"No?" he asked once more.

Still no response.

"Well, I believe in a little motivation," he smiled evilly and sprinted over to the cop's side, the one who was trapped up there under Barry's supervision. He was suddenly dangling over the side of the railing. People screamed as his face turned red and he clambered to hold onto anything for dear life. The only thing supporting him was the Flash who was holding on to the metal chain where his ID tag hung around his neck.

"Have I got your attention now?" he called, his arm easily carrying the adult man's weight, "because one false move and Jerry here is hanging like no tomorrow."

"Help!" Jerry the Dangling Police Officer yelled, trying to grasp the Flash's arm for more of a grip.

The Flash snarled at the group of poised cops, "If none of you choose to cooperate then Jerry's neck tag will be smashing down against his carotid artery."

It was horrible. Iris could see that the neck tag supporting the weight of the scared cop was placed just behind his ears and the back of his jaw. If Barry twitched his wrist a little bit, the neck tag would choke him like a noose and a hangman.

"Aim your weapons!" The Captain ordered.

"No!" Iris yelled, "He'll kill him!"

"I said aim!" repeated Singh. A few of the hesitant cops listened to their orders and their fingers were twitching against the triggers.

"Wrong move," Barry narrowed his eyes and he let his arm dip. There was a horrible gurgling sound as Jerry's neck tag suddenly clamped around his neck and tightened. He choked and swung on the railing, his face turning a shadowy purple.

"Everyone!" Singh screamed desperately, "Disarm! Put your weapons down!"

Barry waited a tantalizing moment as the all the cops raised their hands, the barrels of the guns pointed to the ground instead of at Barry.

"Very good," he raised a smug eyebrow and hauled Jerry back over the railing. He was half unconscious and his face a deep burgundy red. His lungs gasped for air and he coughed up blood.

"Now, ask me what I want!" Barry yelled with such ferocity that the crowd stepped back.

"What do you want?" spat Captain Singh, his eyes held a raging fire but he stayed calm like the rest of the officers in fear of any more endangered lives.

"I need three armored cars for my friend," Barry said, his eyes scanning the crowd one by one, "I need _five_ officers who are willing to drive without straying from their jobs. If you don't do as I say or get any of those three armored cars to my desired location, all of you will die. That's six of us, so there will be two in each car, now, who would like to volunteer?"

There was a shuffling and quiet murmur as everyone looked around to see if one would volunteer.

This was Iris's chance, she would see what had gotten into Barry. What made him act this way, what was his motives. She knew he would never hurt her, so if she went it would be a perfect opportunity to get information and tell her colleagues back at STAR Labs.

"I'll do it," she raised her hand. There was a collective gasp of shock from the horde of officers.

"West, no!" Singh shouted.

Barry's evil gaze stared straight into her own. She felt like he could see everything through her, all of her love, her lies, her secrets, and her feelings.

"No," he said definitively, "not you."

"But you said we could volunteer," she argued.

"Not you, you can't volunteer," he growled.

"Why not?"

Everyone was looking at her like she was some idiot. In their eyes, she was questioning a psychotic meta human who had the ability to kill any of them at the moment.

"Because I said so," he turned to sprint away and Iris caught his arm."  
"Barry-" she whispered.

Bad move.

With a growl he flung her backwards. Iris felt the wind carry her body through the air and her flying hair tickled her cheeks. Her eyes were open as she saw the fluorescent lights of the precinct shine above her. One second she was gliding across the room, falling to the floor, and the next powerful arms grabbed her and her muscles hurt from the rough contact.

She gasped as she looked up wildly to see the Flash setting her to the ground roughly, his face emotionless and annoyed. Her breaths came fast and panicked as she realized Barry was actually okay with hurting her. She came close to breaking a few bones or a pretty nasty concussion if there wasn't some suppressed part of him deep, deep down that was telling him to fight back and to save his friends. That was the Barry she needed to channel, but she had no idea what was wrong with her Barry right now. Was this some alter ego? Multiple personality Disorder?

No, that didn't seem correct, this was something powerful and commanding. Like Barry was being forced to act this way. It needed to be another meta human. But when? How? He swore up and down there was no meta the night of his accident and now here she was a split second later on the floor with a menacing looking Scarlet Speedster above her.

"That's a warning," she heard him whisper harshly, "next time I won't be there to catch you when you fall."

Her rushed forward and seized a woman officer by her collar. Her face turned bright red and her eyes popped as he stood right before her. Fear took hold of her, her hands were shaking and feet barely swiped across the ground.

"Where are the CCPD armored cars?" he snarled in her face.

She stuttered, not forming a quick enough answer. Barry shook her like a rag doll and threw her across the floor. She skidded to a stop and a few of the others went to help her up.

"I want you, you, you, you, and you," Barry pointed separately to five individual cops. These were going to be the five cops he would kill flamboyantly after the deed for the Stranger was done. It was his wish and it would be so, "All of you will come with me. Two of us per car, should be good."

An officer reached for his gun resting next to his foot on the floor. Barry whipped his head around and roared as he charged the cop and flung him to the ground.

There was a gunshot that rang throughout the entire lobby. The Flash yelled as a bullet flew and struck him straight in the right shoulder blade. He was stiff as a statue and for a moment, no one moved a muscle. Captain Singh held his gun in his hand.

Iris yelled, "NO!"

It took everything in her power not to run over to him. She started to sprint forward, she couldn't sit there as Barry gasped and stooped to one knee.

"No, stop! Let me go!" she struggled as two cops held her back with force.

"Iris, look at him!" Singh yelled in her face, all of the officers now carrying guns trained at the Flash, "he's a criminal and a metahuman, he deserves to be locked up!"

White hot pain ripped through Barry's shoulder and body but he shakily stood to his feet as he heard every gun in the building cock and point directly at him.

 _You can't give up! He wants the armored cars, you need to get them to him!_

With a roar, Barry sprinted like never before, tearing through the compound at high speed. He disarmed every officer in the building as they stood in slow motion for his taking. The speedster grabbed each weapon and carried them in his hands, depositing them on the upper level where he had stood before.

He needed to get out and take those cars fast, no more stalling. As everyone looked around confused at their empty hands and realization seeping in, this was Barry's opportunity. He sprinted down the stairs at high speed and grabbed each officer he had pointed out in his arms, taking them outside and securing them to the front seat with a tight cord before going back and grabbing the next body. They were all secure in three armored cars in less than 4 seconds.

Barry felt his shoulder ache and he groaned slightly. This bullet wasn't like the normal ones, he'd heal already. This had to be the newly issued meta-bullets that Cisco developed for every CCPD officer to fend off the attack of metahumans. Even with Barry's fast metabolism, this was going to sting him for a while.

The officer he sat next to in the very last car looked at him with terror-stricken eyes. He was like a gazelle in the hands of a hungry lion.

"Drive," Barry smiled coldly and smacked the dashboard with his hand once.

The terrified cop floored it. He pushed the gas pedal to the floor and the car went zooming. Barry already ripped out the trackers on each truck since he knew these were CCPD issued. They were bullet proof, thick, heavy duty, and could withstand virtually anything up to a small range missile. No worry, he wouldn't allow that to happen.

The other drivers must've sensed what was going on but Barry already made sure they would be cooperative before they thought to do something stupid. He had live video feeds of their wives, husbands, or kids playing on the screens of the trucks for each cop and a message that said:

 ** _"_** ** _DRIVE OR THEY DIE."_**

They would choose the right choice or else Barry was going to make it a little more than 5 kills today.

He had the master control in his hands and would type directions on the screens as well so that his trusty drivers knew where to go. After a 13 minute drive, the three armored cars jostled through the streets. It would've taken the Captain up to 9 minutes to take roll call of the staff and figure that 5 of his officers were missing and 3 armored cars. By that time, he'd go outside to find three torn out jumbo truck tracers and an empty lot. When they scoured the streets through heavy 6 o'clock traffic, they wouldn't be able to catch up with the Flash and his treasures.

It was a perfect full proof plan, and he was trying to figure out in what way to kill the officers to satisfy the Man in Black, the Stranger. He was sure the man would want some flashy or flamboyant way to dispose of them.

"Can I ask you a question?" he looked at the terrified, bound officer in the driver's seat next to him, "if you could kill someone how would you?"

He heard the man sob and Barry laughed menacingly. This was like a panther playing with a few bunnies. It was so _easy_. Why hadn't he ever done this before? Why had his righteous morale constantly get in the way? His blood was pumping and a fervor took hold of his mind.

An image of Iris popped into his mind as he threw her across the room. He wasn't going to catch her at first, he was going to let her fall and hear the sound of her bones break, but at the last semi-second her felt a powerful urge burst through him to go and save her. To protect her. It was some hidden instinct that was surely suppressed in his inner mind. As he ran over a powerful and earth-rattling migraine conquered his mind and his eyes burned like acid had been poured into them.

 _Whatever, it won't happen again,_ he told himself definitively. There was no room to have any more lapses in his judgement once more.

"Dr. Wells!" Iris's voice echoed through the hallway loudly, "Cisco! Caitlin!"

"Iris?" Harry heard the urgency in her voice and started to run over to the cortex entrance.

"Hey, what's going on?" Caitlin sensed it too and she followed with Cisco behind.

"We need to hurry, something's wrong with Barry!" she came in and pulled Harrison out by the arm into the hallway she just sprinted in from.

"Whoa, whoa!" Dr. Wells made it a point to get her grip off his arm, he wasn't a fan of being touched, "Iris, slow down, what happened?"

"Barry," she was panting, "I don't know, he's gone dark, he's gone evil."

"Barry's gone rogue?" Cisco's eyes widened, "this is like a twisted version of Robocop," he swiped his hands through his long hair.

"Never mind that, Ramon," Harry rolled his eyes, "what do you mean he's evil, Iris?"  
"Joe told me about the accusations you guys were putting against Barry so I thought I'd go down by the station to check on him," she said in between breaths, "but the Flash showed up! Caitlin, Cisco, Dr. Wells, I'm telling you as his sister that that wasn't Barry out there," her voice shook, "he was mean, and cruel, and deceptive, and horrible. He almost killed a cop…"

"What?" Caitlin's voice was full of shock, "he almost killed a cop?"

Iris nodded grimly.

"That's impossible," Cisco shook his head, "this is Barry, our Barry we're talking about!"

"No, Ramon, this is very possible," Harry took off his black and white lenses, "we already had suspicions about him, it seems we were right."

"This doesn't make sense," Caitlin said sadly, "Barry was here the whole time, if he's invaded the precinct then we aren't 100% positive he stole the money from the bank."

"Well, if he's invaded the CCPD station, then we need to go now," Cisco grabbed the company van's keys from the desk and motioned for Harry to follow him.

"We need some precautions," the scientist announced, "Ramon, get 500 milligrams of horse tranquilizer ready in one of the rifles in case, I'm bringing the gun."

"Please don't bring the big gun," Cisco whined blatantly, "it honestly makes you look like Agent H from Men in Black, dude."  
"I'm bringing the big gun," Harry's answer was definitive, "get moving. Snow, stay here, we'll be back and get something ready to hold Barry in."

"O-Okay," she called after them unsurely. She needed to call Jay, he would help her.

"Iris, come on, you need to tell us where he went and call your dad," Harry looked at the detective's daughter, "fill us in on every detail in the car."

They hurried out the door with their equipment and rushed to the vehicle.

"Explain everything," Harry was driving at dangerous speeds in the large van but his tone and demeanor was the picture of calm and composure, "in vivid detail."

Cisco leaned forward in the back as Iris took a deep breath to tell the two about the scene at the station, "Well, I got in there to look for my dad and I feel this rush of wind. I know it's Barry so I turn around thinking why he was there when rumors were going around of the Flash turning bad. He got everyone's attention in the building and when the officers pointed guns at him, he grabbed a cop and dangled him over the railing while only holding his _neck tag,"_ she paused as she saw the looks on their faces, "yeah, I know," Iris continued, "but he made a demand. He said a friend wanted him to take three armored cars from the CCPD lot and 5 cops to drive them."

"Strange demand," Dr. Wells narrowed his eyes, "why armored cars?"

"Is he transporting anything?" Iris inquired.

"Maybe the $400,000 he stole," Cisco inputed.

"No, we don't know if he even took the money," Iris defended her brother, "plus, why would he need armored trucks to transport three duffle bags?"

"Maybe they were heavy?"

Iris rolled her eyes, "No, that's not it, he was carrying them over his back like it was his school bag," she narrowed her eyes, "he's gotten stronger," she rubbed her shoulder, remembering where Barry pushed her as she flew across the lobby of the station. She chose not to mention that detail.

"How could he get stronger?" Cisco asked Harry, "he has super speed not super strength."

"I don't know," the scientist pursed his lips, "and I hate not knowing."

"Maybe it's this 'friend' he was talking about?" Iris thought.

"But Barry said he didn't meet any meta-humans the night of the accident," Cisco shook his head.

"That he could remember," Harry said quietly.

Iris' blood turned cold, "You don't think he lied to us, do you?"

"I think Mr. Allen is going through something," Dr. Wells didn't take his eyes off the road, "but it's very possible it's the work of a new meta-human."

"So, Barry is taking orders from this guy? I mean, guys, come on, Barry wouldn't just rob the CCB and steal armored trucks from the precinct just because a guy asked him to," Cisco spoke up from the back, "it has to be some trick."

"He came in complaining of a severe headache and burning eyes," a chord struck in Harrison's mind.

"But those were signs of his concussion," Iris reminded him, "and all of the injuries he suffered the night he got hit."

"Barry said he experienced them before the crash."

"I hate to say it," Cisco raised his hands in a gesture of surrender, "but I can't trust Barry's word right now, for all we know he could be lying again."

"Cisco's right," Iris nodded.

"Maybe," Harry's lips were a flat line, "but these pains could be after effects of meta-human power.

"What kind of power?" Cisco's tone was a little wary.

"Telekinetic?" Harrison brainstormed, "I mean how else do you explain these actions?"

"Are we sure he robbed the bank?" Cisco asked a little forcefully, "like 1000%, dude?"

"Harry checked the cameras with his own eyes," Iris reassured him, "Barry was asleep in bed."

"However," the scientist raised a finger, "that night there was a mild stinging in my eyes and I had a small headache. I took some medicine and the next morning they were gone."

"But..isn't that what Barry felt when…" Cisco's sentence died out before he could finish it.

"Yes, it is," Harry's jaw was locked and sharp.

"Drive faster," Iris demanded.

Dr. Wells pressed his foot against the pedal and the company van began to speed down the streets.

"Why didn't you say anything?" Iris said with a little angry tone after a long pause.

"I didn't expect it to be important," he replied without emotion.

" _Everything_ you do is important, Dr. Wells!" she argued, "You're an Earth-2 phenomenon, if you have a bad reaction to the sushi on 34th street, then we should know!

"Iris," Cisco chuckled nervously, "maybe you should calm down just a little-"

"No," Dr. Wells' jaw was still tight but he admitted that Iris was right, "she has a point, I was being careless."

"Is that word even _existent_ in your vocabulary?" Cisco said with shock.

"Cisco, you are Vibe, you can see through the dimensions of the universe," Iris said urgently, "it would be better if you looked at the cameras because if anything suspicious appears, it won't fool you."

"Dr. Wells, do you think that'd work?" Cisco asked excitedly.

"I can't find anything wrong with it," he nodded, "good idea, West, but right now we need to find Barry. Did he say anything about this 'friend' of his."

"Not specifically," Iris shook her head, "but why don't we find where Barry stopped yesterday. If he's visiting this 'friend' again then it's possible they will meet at the same location."

"Problem is," Cisco sighed, "he went too fast that the cops couldn't even locate his whereabouts. We know he stopped by the cameras on 17th street, but after that there is a 12 block radius of where he could've gone."

"Use the Flash suit tracker," Iris pitched in.

"We can't," Harry shook his head, "it mysteriously went offline the day of Barry's accident, but the more I think of it the less I regard it as an 'accident'."

"Guys!" Cisco exclaimed, "I fixed the tracker in the suit! I gave it up to 5 hours of backup power if anyone tampered with the controls! We can find Barry!" "Ramon, give me the coordinates," Harry maneuvered the wheel like a pro, "we're going now."

 **Chapter 5 will be released soon!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Here we go, the next installment! Hope you guys like it! The story will start reaching its peak next chapter and get ready for some more dark Barry, but there'll be a little twist! Anyways, thanks to my reviewers/followers/favorites, much appreciated!**

"Make a right!" Cisco's body tilted to the right as Dr. Wells swerved the wheel with force, "and maybe let loose on the brakes, Harry!"

"Ramon, not now," the scientist said under his breath as he focused on the road ahead of him.

"Where now, Cisco?!" Iris shouted above the screeching tires.

"Straight down, to the docks!" he looked at the tablet in his hands. There was a small red dot indicating Barry's location with the upgraded tracer.

"Cisco, it's fenced off," Harry looked ahead to see the chain link fences surrounding the perimeter of the docks.

"We climb," Iris unbuckled her belt and opened the door as Harry skidded to a rough halt. She already alerted her dad to meet her and Cisco was delivering the coordinates. He would be coming with Jay; they couldn't risk Barry's identity with any other cops on the force. It was an idea to call Oliver Queen and John Diggle to come help but they decided the smaller this operation was the better, it would attract more negative attention they didn't need.

Harrison had the large gun strapped across his shoulder, his long trench coat reached his knees and he looked like a bounty hunter from the future. He gripped the fenced with his fingers tightly and climbed it skillfully. He jumped over with ease, his trendy glasses didn't even move from their perched position on his nose.

Cisco was next. He was a little clumsier and his foot slipped halfway up on the fence. The small tablet was placed in between his teeth and the rifle with the tranquilizer was also across his back as he roughly climbed down the other side of the chain link fence; Harry offered no help.

Iris wasn't used to these conditions where they were "roughing it" but she used her nimble and athletic form to climb to the top of the fence. She jumped down and Harrison straightened her as she fell. It must be fatherly instinct with his alienated daughter that Cisco learned was captured by Zoom.

"Thanks," she mumbled under breath as she dusted off her shirt and they all went running towards the docks. They kept low profiles, their bodies were pressed to the ground and they followed one another stealthily.

"Iris, how far is your father?" Harry whispered.

"He said he'd be here in 10, but he was picking up Jay," she answered.

"Great," Dr. Wells cocked the large gun in his hands and it whirred to life, "call it a party then."

They needed to be quick and fast, the CCPD would eventually find Barry; I mean he wasn't exactly hiding. They heard him before they saw him. His lightning crackling off his body, his usually happy light voice was deep and menacing. They heard the cries of the captured officers forced to drive the armored vehicles in fear of harming their families.

"We need a plan," Cisco pulled Harry back before he moved any further, "we can't charge right in, he'll disarm us easily."

"I'll go in first," Iris volunteered, "he'll be caught off guard."

"No, Iris, that's too dangerous," Cisco shook his head, "you don't know if Barry will hurt you."

"Trust me, Cisco, Barry would never hurt me," she lied.

"She's right, Ramon, otherwise we'll be on the hunt for Barry again and the tracer battery life won't last for that long."

"Alright," he sighed in forfeit, "but be careful, Iris," he pressed a can of pepper spray in her hands, "this is all I've got with me."

"It's okay," from her pack, she produced a small handgun with low caliber. It only fired one bullet but it was powerful and would hurt like hell.

"Whoa, whoa!" Cisco's eyes widened, "where the heck did you get a gun?!"

"After him," she nodded her head at Harrison, "well not him, exactly, the other one."

Harry rolled his eyes, "Let's please try to focus here, we're wasting time."

"Damn, girl, remind me not to get you angry," Cisco's voice was in shock, "but if anything goes wrong you shoot him in the leg, he can't run then."

"I've got one of the boots with me," Harrison patted his coat, "if his leg is injured he'll be temporarily disarmed and it would give me enough time to secure him to the asphalt before he can run away again."

"Okay," Iris agreed, "Cisco, do you have anymore of those meta-bullets you gave to my dad?"

"There should be some in the car," he nodded, "I'll go get one."

He ran off and left the rifle and tablet on the floor next to Harrison and Iris.

This was awkward for her, this was the man who killed her fiancee. Well, it looked enough like him. Her and Harry never had time to…bond really. He was a quiet and reserved guy, like a shadow. One second he was there and the next he wasn't. You wouldn't be able to tell if he was in or out of a room, if he was standing right next to you.

"Harry, do you think we'll be able to stop Barry?" she cleared the air of awkwardness.

"I'm not sure," he glanced at her with his sharp and alert blue eyes, "but we'll try all we can to do so."

"And if Barry gets killed in the process?" she gulped shakily.

"That's not going to happen."

"Got it!" Cisco came sprinting back in his sneakers. He handed Iris one small black bullet with an orange ring going around the base of the metal casing.

"Good," Harrison nodded, "once Iris has distracted him, Cisco you hit him with the dart. Iris, I'll come in and try to talk to him, you go and free those officers. Get them away from here, we don't want them to know anything that's happening, they already will know too much. I'll shoot The Boot at him and Cisco you bring around the van so we can get him in. Call Caitlin and tell her to get something ready for Barry to be put in safely without getting out. Jay and Joe should be here, and they could help us get Allen inside the van. Now, let's move!"

They split up quickly, each moving to their respected positions. It was time to get to work, to save Barry.

Iris was ready from her hiding place. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw Barry standing tall in his fitted burgundy suit and ordering those bound and terrified cops around. The three armored cars were parked next to one another in front of an old warehouse, one that seemed like it hadn't been inhabited in years. She tried to listen in on the conversation:

"Hey, you!" Barry pointed to a female officer cowering in front of him, "over there! I need you all in a straight line, come on, people, you are the upstanding members of the community! This can't be that hard!

"What's he doing?" she whispered to herself under her breath. There were bright lights illuminating the whole perimeter and in the center stood Barry and his five hostages. Helicopter blades cut through the air in the distance and search lights roamed the streets, but they sounded far off. There wasn't going to be much help from the CCPD force other than Detective Joe West and his daughter, a journalist.

So far, all of the five cops were standing on their knees in the gravel and some had tear-streaked faces and others were hardened masks of pride desperate not to give in.

"Barry, no," she wish he could hear her as she mumbled to herself once more.

"There we go, finally!" Barry clapped and his voice was filled with bitter sarcasm, "nice work, team! Now for the big finale!"

The Flash, hero of Central City, went over to one of the armored cars and pulled out something from a leather bag. Iris saw what was in his hand and she immediately gasped. _No!_ It was a weapon, it was a gun.

He walked over and examined the handgun in his grip. He looked at it up, down, front, back, and smiled. To her, this Barry was meant to carry a gun-meant to kill people.

"Who wants to go first?" Barry rattled the weapon in his hand and laughed maniacally as all of the cops sobbed in their places.

 _He won't do it,_ Iris thought as tears started to sting her eyes and make her throat burn as she choked up, _he's not going to do it, he never would._

Barry walked up to the first cop in the line, all of his movements heavily illuminated by the luminescent lights that brightened the lot.

"Sorry, buddy," Barry shrugged. He pressed the barrel of the gun to the side of the officer's shaking head, "you drew the short stick."

The speedster chuckled satisfyingly as he heard the cock of the gun in his fingers.

"Wait!"

He froze. Barry stopped all he was doing as he heard the voice-her voice.

"No," he murmured to himself with annoyance, "not now, not now!"

"Hey, Flash!"

He couldn't ignore it any longer. Barry turned around slowly, the gun still in his hands but pointed to the floor. The cop behind the Scarlet Speedster looked up to the heavens and murmured a silent prayer.

'Don't move," he waved the gun down the line of officers. His voice was tense, like a cobra ready for attack, "or else."

"Flash!" Iris called, "stop what you're doing right now, put down the weapon!"

"Why, Iris West?" Barry smiled at her smugly, "You gonna report me? Right a cover of it in the paper? Trust me, there'll be lots to tell for tomorrow's scoop, so why not a first hand statement, right?"

"This isn't about newspapers or publishings, Flash," Iris said calmly. Barry could go off at any moment without careful syntax of her words, "this is about you and me."

"What could this possibly have to do with you, Iris?" Barry sneered, "you just like to be the center of it all, don't you? You always must have the cameras pointed at you, whether it's with your job, your personal life, or your string of failed boyfriends!"

He saw her stiffen. Her eyes reflected pain and hurt. Something deep within him stirred, but he pushed it away. _She's been messing me up too much already._

Iris didn't move, however, she stayed rooted in place. Both hands were gripping the small handgun in her fingers and she raised it up slowly, so the barrel was pointing directly at his chest, "I don't want to have to do this."

"You won't," he laughed and took a step closer to her.

"Stop, right there," her finger shook against the trigger, "put down the weapon."

He chuckled lowly and stooped to the floor. Behind him, Iris saw Cisco start to peak from behind some of the shipping crates. She wanted him to meet her gaze, _Not now, Cisco!_

Barry kept his eyes glued to her the whole time, but his face was amused. To him, this was child's play. Regardless, he released the gun and it clanked against the gravel. For one moment-just one second-Iris let her eyes off of Barry and towards Cisco. The engineer was trying to reach the officers as stealthily as he could. The speedster, however, was watching Iris' every movement. He was waiting for her to slip up, waiting for her to signal someone or something.

With a snarl, Barry turned around to see Cisco untying the captured officers' ropes. Electricity sparked in his eyes and he began to burst forward, tearing up the ground behind him.

Iris shut her eyes and pressed the trigger down. She felt the vibrations move from the metal, to her fingers, to her hands, to her arms, all the way to her brain. The meta-bullet sailed through the air as it moved towards its target. She felt her body move back from the force of the small yet powerful gun in her hands.

Barry could hear the shot fired from the weapon. His focus was all towards Cisco Ramon who was foiling his plan when his instincts became interrupted from the fired weapon. In mid-run, Barry tried to twist his body to see the bullet-to dodge it-but with all his power, strength, and energy heading one way, he didn't have enough time to veer off course.

He felt the impact of the meta-bullet rip through his calf.

Barry yelled as the enhanced effect of the bullet secured itself in his leg. He felt himself start to fall and he dropped to all fours, his right leg extended a little due to the injury.

"Ah!" he panted as Iris moved closer to him, "how could you?!"

"This isn't you, Bar," her voice was shaky and her skin seemed clammy. Even she couldn't believe what she just did.

"Move, move, move!" Cisco was ushering the now freed officers out of the lot so they'd no longer be in harm's way.

Iris looked down at her adopted brother Barry on the floor in pain. He was groaning and trying to move away from her. Blood poured from the wound in his leg and she felt a tear slide down her cheek. She did this to him, she didn't think she was capable of doing anything like this to anyone-especially not to her Barry. But this wasn't her Barry, and the only way to save him was this.

"Barry, don't fight it," her voice was calm and regretful, "I'm sorry, I had to."

The red speedster suddenly gripped his head with his fingers tightly, "Ah!"

"Hey, what's going on?!" she kneeled next to him, "what is it?!"  
"My head! It's killing me!" he was writhing on the floor as his nails dug into his scalp hard enough to draw some blood.

"Dr. Wells! Cisco! Quick, Barry needs-"

She felt strong hands grab her and push her to the ground hard. Her head smacked against the concrete and she saw stars in her eyes for a moment. Iris moaned in pain as she saw Barry try to stand, his injured leg dragging behind him. But he was still persistent, his eyes felt like they were on fire and his head was ringing like a church bell but he kept moving. He groaned and growled as he finally got himself to stand upright and he breathed heavily as he looked down at Iris.

"You brought this upon yourself," he said with effort, but his tone was sharp and cold.

"Ow," Iris brought a hand to the back of her head and rubbed it, "Barry, no…"

"It's too late," he gathered his shoulders back, it looked like he was ready to lunge again.

"Barry, stop!" the speedster whipped his head around as he heard the voice of his adopted father call out to him.

"Oh, come on!" he rolled his eyes, "can't I just get one moment of peace!"

"Bar, step away from her!" Joe had his gun pointed at his son as he saw Iris laying on the floor trying to scramble away with some difficulty.

"You really shouldn't be here, Joe," he snarled.

"Allen, step away," Jay held his hands out calmly but he on high alert.

"Jay, you too?" the speedster laughed, "you're all sucked into this whole righteous crap. Can't you see that it's infected you? It's poisoned you!"

"Step away, Barry!"

"You will never understand," he shook his head and sighed, "the only option I have left is to show you," the CSI looked to Iris clambering away from him on the floor.

"Barry, stop!" his gun was cocked, but he knew he could never shoot his son. Joe heard a weapon fire and for a second he thought it was his own gun. He was mortified until he saw that the weapon in his hands was still cool and waiting. Barry whipped his head around and narrowed his eyes amusingly. He caught the tranquilizer dart before it would pierce his neck. Cisco looked at him with wide, shell-shocked eyes as he cracked the vial in between his gloved fingers and a green liquid spilled to the ground.

"Oh, shoot!" Cisco said as Barry swiveled around and began to charge his way.

Harrison looked through the scope of his weapon and pressed the trigger hard. Barry heard the fire in mid-run but didn't have enough time to dodge. The boot used to keep speedsters chained to the ground clamped around his leg painfully and wires extended from the bars and attached themselves to the cement.

He yelled as his hyperextended thigh pulled his weight back and he heard a few ligaments tear in his leg. The speedster looked down at his leg in panic, how was he supposed to get out of this one. The blood stopped flowing from his calf down as the clamp was pressing too tightly against it. The blood from the wound in his leg was spilling out faster and the swelling muscle sent jolts of pain throughout his whole body. His shoulder blade ached too, it was where Singh shot him a few hours before. This wasn't good. With the meta bullets his healing factor would be slowed down considerably and now he was chained to the ground my the boot.

 _Get up, Barry! He's counting on you!_ The speedster looked over at the three armored cars still parked safely a few hundred feet away.

He tugged against the cords binding him to the ground, "Come on, come on!" he whispered under his breath harshly. He saw Harrison reveal himself from the shadows carrying the cross-bow like contraption that fired the boot at his leg. Slung across his shoulder was his big gun that Barry sure didn't want to be familiar with. Cisco came behind him, carrying the empty rifle he failed to make contact with. Joe handed his gun to Jay and ran over to Iris. She kept a hand resting upon her forehead as her father helped her stand up and whispered some words softly to her. She looked at the speedster like he was some completely different person-which he was.

Barry saw as Cisco, Jay, and Harrison, all armed, started to beset him. They were closing on him, surrounding him in a circle with weapons aimed. The Flash was trying to think of a plan to get him out of this jam. He glanced at the growing pool of blood surrounding his leg on the floor and he knew that due to blood loss his face would take on a sickly pallor. The CSI smiled with amusement as he made a large, histrionic performance of floundering about. He made a big show of flailing about, groaning in "agony," and pulling at the cords like chains restraining him to the ground. For the big finale, Barry gave one last tug before he collapsed to the floor motionless.

"Dr. Wells!" Cisco called with alarm.

"What's happening, Wells!?" Barry heard Jay's gruff and deep voice as footsteps came pounding towards his body. The ground vibrated with heavy stomps.

"I don't know," the scientist said under his breath. The speedster felt fingers search his body, lifting his arms and neck for any other accidental entry wounds, "there's nothing other than his leg-wait, his shoulder."

"Oh, Jesus," he could hear the disgust in Cisco's voice. The bullet hadn't been pulled out by Barry, he was too concentrated on taking the cars before he was so rudely interrupted. The skin was starting to grow over again and the meta bullet was securely lodged in his shoulder blade.

"We'll Snow to check this out," he felt careful and gentle fingers touch his shoulder examining the bullet, "Garrick, go help Detective West get his daughter to the van and bring it close so we get Barry inside. Cisco, I need another tranquilizer dart, who knows how long Barry will be out for."

 _Not long, I can tell you that,_ the acting Scarlet Speedster thought to himself slyly.

"Got it," Cisco answered and he heard the engineer begin to walk away. Jay's footsteps also started to recede as he supported Iris along with Joe.

Barry was waiting for his moment. Harrison posed the biggest danger to him of all the team. Jay no longer had his speed, Iris was injured, Cisco was weak, and Joe would never hurt him. His love clouded his common sense.

"It's okay, Allen," he heard Harrison whisper lowly. It was so quiet he almost couldn't hear the scientists, "we're going to help you, I'll make sure you'll get better."

 _How sentimental, Harry,_ Barry thought bitterly, _but there's nothing to cure me of._

Barry opened his eyes wide and attacked. Harrison was too stunned to react in time as the speedster's high speed reflexes outmatched him. He grabbed Dr. Wells by the chest with one hand and got to his feet as fast as he could. For a moment, his leg gave out and pain engulfed his body. He shrugged it off and kept a vibrating hand right in front of Harry's heart.

Harrison was too astonished to react when one second he was leaning over Barry's body and the next he was upright with a hand ready to move in and stop his heart. Cisco almost dropped his gun, Jay left Iris' side to run over, and Joe looked on with horror as he tried to get his daughter to safety.

"Barry," Cisco said with extreme caution. Barry was completely off the hinges now, who knew what he would do next, "Dude, let Harry go."

"You really think I'm gonna do that," the speedster smiled evilly.

"What do you want, Barry?" Jay stood tall and his fists were clenched. Inside he was applauding the young speedster, he was conforming to Zoom's desired image of him more and more.

"Take this thing off me," he growled as Harry was still and calm in his arms.

"Bar-" Cisco began.

"NOW!" he snarled as he moved his hand so it was barely resting against scientist's chest.

"Okay, okay," Cisco nodded, "I'll get it, right now."

He began to walk forward but then Joe spoke, "Cisco, wait."

Cisco hesitated but did as told. He looked at Harry but there was no emotion in his eyes, no fear or worry.

"Barry," Joe said cautiously but firmly, "he is not going to take that boot off your leg until you let Dr. Wells go."

Barry stiffened and placed one vibrating finger against Harrison's chest. The scientist gasped lightly but composed himself again, just staring down at the hand that could end his life in a moment.

"Cisco," the speedster shook his head, "if you don't take this off in three seconds, Dr. Harrison Wells will die."

 _Yes, Barry, yes_ , Hunter was watching silently from the crowd. His face was a mask of seriousness but on the inside he was applauding the young Flash.

Dr. Wells, throughout it all, hadn't uttered one word from his mouth, but now he spoke up, "Cisco, don't do it."

"Harrison-"

"Don't do it-"

"Enough!" Barry yelled over the clamor, "Decide, Ramon! Or Dr. Wells gets it!"

"Uh-um!" Cisco was tearing his hair out but finally he reached in his back pocket and got out a tool.

"No!" Joe lunged forward but Barry pressed his fingers more into Harrison's chest. The scientist groaned, Joe stayed put.

"Hurry up, Cisco," he said harshly to the engineer who was crouching by his knee, "get it off."

"I-I'm trying."

He saw Cisco fumble with the screwdriver in his fingertips before finally getting a grip and loosen one of the bolts. Barry watched for any surprise attacks by any other members of the team. Joe had thrown his gun off to the side per Barry's orders, Jay looked like he was poised for attack but there was a malicious twinkle in his dark eyes, Iris watched wearily from the van door she was helplessly leaning upon. Dots danced across her vision and the noise was too much for her, she had a severe concussion from her head connecting with the bare concrete.

"I got it!" Cisco exclaimed and Barry felt the pressure release itself from his calf. He sighed in relief as blood flow was restored to his leg but the burgundy fluid was dripping out of his leg profusely. Cisco looked at the injury with pity as he lay crouched a few feet away from the Flash. Barry flexed his leg a little and cursed. The torn ligaments were still tender but running was going to hurt like hell.  
"Now," Jay's deep baritone voice echoed throughout the lots, "hand over the doctor."

"You see, Jay," Barry laughed cruelly, "I need Dr. Wells with me," he rubbed Harry's shoulder affectionately-like they were father and son. To Harrison, Barry had become that to him-a son.

"Release him, Bar," Joe's voice was cold and disapproving, "you promised me."

"I'm not the same 13 year old Barry you can order around, Joe, so no, I need someone to help me move the armored-AH!"

When Cisco got whiff of Harrison running away with Barry the Psycho Speedster, he made a move. With screwdriver in hand, the engineer lunged and dug the sharp end of the tool deep in the Scarlet Speedster's knee. It stuck out like a branch on a tree and Barry yelled in agony. Fresh blood poured from the right leg as the hilt of the screwdriver was extending from the joints.

 _That's got to hurt,_ Cisco thought queasily as Barry grabbed the edge with both hands and pulled with effort. The metal tool slid out sickeningly and clattered against the floor as Barry pushed Harrison away and gripped his knee. Jay and Joe were toppled over by a Dr. Wells as they tried to rush Barry. The speedster saw the circumstance. In any second, the detective and Garrick would regroup and threaten him again and they would't be falling for anymore tricks. Iris was no harm, but she was no help either, and Cisco's little stunt cost him. He looked longingly at the armored trucks sitting there neatly and the Stranger who would be extremely disappointed in him. It was better than getting caught.

He gave Cisco one last murderous glare and bolted.

 **Chapter 6 will be released soon! Leave a comment and give me some ideas!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Thanks for waiting everyone! Loving the support for this story, there's more to come! Leave me a quick review!**

 _"_ _Damn it!"_ Joe stomped his foot on the floor and groaned, "I can't believe we lost him again!"

"Dr. Wells!" Cisco scrambled over to the scientist who was breathing hard on the floor, "Harry, are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Ramon," he clapped the young engineer's shoulder, "thank you for what you did." This Cisco Ramon, the Vibe, was a night and day difference compared to Cisco Ramon, Reverb on Earth-2.

"I don't feel to good about it, though," he shrugged half-heartedly. He had injured Barry with his little screwdriver trick and he felt bad for his poor friend.

"Cisco, if you hadn't done what you did, I would've been dead now," Harry's voice was full of seriousness, "you saved my life."

A small, proud smile lit up Cisco's face, "Well, when you put it that way, I guess," he laughed.

"Help me up, Ramon," Harry rolled his eyes but a very _very_ small smirk was on his lips.

"Joe-Joe, just calm down," a little farther away, Jay was trying to reel the detective/father in, "it's all right, Barry is going to be stopped."

"How could he do this?" Joe's voice broke, "he's my son, my children would never-"

"Stop right there," Jay cut him off, "don't talk like that. Barry is an admirable and righteous young man. Whatever has veered him off course-be it meta-human or not-he will find his way back. He always does," Garrick's chest puffed up.

"But what has made him like this?" Joe placed a hand on his forehead, "what could possibly make him want to hurt-" his voice trailed off but he looked at Iris sadly.

"I'll go check on her," Cisco saw that a moment was coming on and he didn't want to be reminded of what just happened. He wanted to do what he did best and right now that was helping Iris.

Jay watched as Cisco walked away to assist Iris. _Softie,_ he scoffed, but his face remained concerned. _I should've been an actor._

"That's not what we should be thinking about right now," Harrison's voice was hoarse and he rubbed his chest, "when we get back to the lab, I want to check the cameras one more time to see if Barry robbed the Central City Bank."

"The bank?" Hunter asked, confused, "Didn't you already check them yourself?"

"Iris raised a good point on the way over, " he explained, "Cisco's powers allow him to see what others cannot. In case there is any suspicious activity that my eyes are not in tune to, Ramon can see it."

"And why do you want to look at the tape if the bank robbery happened yesterday?" Jay continued to question the doctor, "Shouldn't we be out looking for him right now?"

"No," Joe finally spoke up but his voice was despondent, "because if we can get hard, tangible evidence against the Flash for robbing the CCB then the Captain will organize another meta-human task force. It will be a city-wide operation where the public will work against him to capture him," the detective said the last part in a grim voice, "and their orders are to take Barry out, not bring him in alive."

"We need to get to those tapes now," Hunter straightened up, turned around, and walked to the van.

"Damn!" Barry had to stop running, his leg felt like it was on fire and every time he set his weight on the ground blood and pain spilled from the gunshot wound. He gripped his injury with a gloved hand but stumbled to a clumsy stop against a locked car on a quiet street. He brought his hand to his eyes but the blood blended in with the burgundy color of his Flash suit.

The rendezvous warehouse he usually met the Man in Black was just another two blocks down but he didn't think with this hole ripping through his calf he was going to be able to run. _Maybe I should head back to STAR Labs and have Cait check this out…_

He growled and groaned in pain as his head exploded with a powerful new headache. These migraines kept getting more frequent as the night went on and more painful. He just needed to see the Stranger, his lulling voice and soothing eyes would give him a quick cure.

A powerful urge to run the rest of the two harrowing blocks surged through him. He felt the need to see the man _now,_ at this moment.

 _Run, Barry, run,_ he sneered to himself and shuffled his feet on the floor for a little before bursting into a 700 mph sprint. Blood trailed in his wake and he was grinding his teeth in agony as his injured leg hindered his ability to run. _Damn it, Iris, you and your meta-bullets._ This would be a cinch if Cisco hadn't decided to mess around with the projectile's caliber and potent effect.

Barry saw the rusty old warehouse doors loom ahead and he almost shed a few tears in joy and relief. He skidded to an abrupt and painful stop and slid the last few feet. His leg dragged behind him and he burst into the warehouse like a batter sliding to third base. The area was quiet and dark and he savored these peaceful moments. Barry stretched his arms and legs slightly and leaned his head back to rest on the cool floor.

It was nice up until he heard a dangerous growl, "Barry Allen!"

 _Oh no,_ he thought to himself with caution.

"Where the hell were you!?"

He scrambled to a sitting position, despite his injured leg, and faced the Man in Black with self deprecation.

"I have been waiting her for an extra hour and a half wondering why you didn't answer my request, Flash!" he roared in anger and he saw the young speedster wince. It was time for a lesson to be learned, it was time the young man realized his faults didn't go without a punishment, "You disobeyed my orders!"

Barry met the man's gaze-a wrong move. The minute his eyes made contact with the Stranger's he felt his entire body-every molecule-break out in agonizing pain. He clutched his head in his hands with his nails and doubled over, writhing on the floor.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" he yelled above the cacophony of noise and chaos erupting in his mind, "It won't happen again, I swear!"

"You must learn, boy," he spat the word like it was venom, "that consequences are received when I don't get what I want," he snarled and looked at the tortured CSI mercilessly-in fact, he even increased the pain.

Barry felt like his entire head was splitting apart straight down the middle. His eyes were burning so bad that they were watering like someone was washing his pupils with soap and acid. His arms, legs, and chest felt like they were being crushed by an invisible force that weighed as much as a piano. _Make it stop! Make it stop!_

"No," the man hissed, like he had read Barry's mind, "this is your punishment, Barry Allen, you delayed my plans and this is what it feels like to disobey my orders."

Garrison looked down at the agonizing speedster who was yelling on the abandoned warehouse's floor in front of him. The block was pretty much deserted and the boy could yell and scream all he wanted but there was no one who would hear him pitiful cries. This is what it felt like to have power, he loved it. To see the Flash, the face of Central City, bent to his every command was better than any drug. It was time this "hero" saw what it meant to be in the shadows, to feel beat by the meta-humans too abashed to reveal themselves to humanity.

His plans now needed to wait for a few more days until Barry Allen came to his senses and acted correctly. It was his job to save his fellow brothers and sisters who were hit accidentally by this freak storm two years ago. It was time for someone to step up and be the voice of all those unheard.

A sizable pool of blood was gathering itself on the floor and he curiously saw that it was from a gunshot wound in Barry's right calf and left shoulder blade. _Unfortunate for him, he can deal with them later._

And all at once it stopped. The Flash gasped in relief and breathed hard and heavily. Remnants of the painful feeling pounding in his head like a sledge hammer still vibrated through his brain and he felt his stomach churn. The acid-like feeling that stung his eyes was starting to abate bit by bit and he closed them in relief and gratitude.

He moaned and rolled to his side on the floor as Garrison, hands clasped behind his back, circled him like a hawk.

"Do you know what you did wrong, Flash?" he asked calmly, cooly, like there wasn't a care in the world.

Barry's ears were still ringing so he barely heard the man speak to him. Paul rolled his eyes in agitation and kicked the speedster lightly with his boot.

He jumped with a start and looked at Garrison with red bleary eyes, "I failed to bring you the armored cars you asked for?"

"How many did I ask for?"

"Three."

"And how many have you provided me with?"

"None," Barry sighed in guilt.

"That's right," he snapped, "not even one, even after I specifically told you to bring them to this location an hour and a half ago, but you failed at that too. You're a failure, Flash," his lip twitched.

"It won't happen again," the Scarlet Speedster looked to the floor.

"Damn right, it won't," Paul was _this_ close to using his powers on Barry Allen again, "because if it does, I will drag on your suffering and pain for hours on end until you slowly fade into a catatonic state from the degree of agony that you would be feeling, do I make myself clear?"

"Absolutely," Barry murmured and nodded like a child would being scolded by a parent.

"Good," he growled, "now stand up, boy."

As soon as Barry heard his orders, he forgot his pain and straightened his spine. The mesmerizing gradient of the man's eyes were hypnotic and Barry couldn't look away.

"You see that steel pole over there?" the man's eyes glanced to the corner of the warehouse darkly. The whole building was littered with steel pipes, iron bars, and other scraps, "bring it."

Barry limped over but he didn't express any pain or was his order and he would do it gratefully. He picked up the steel pipe in his fingers and brought it back for his master.

"Hand it to me."

The speedster gave the object to Garrison Paul.

"Mr. Allen," the stranger reminisced nostalgically, "do you know that I was a therapist back in the day?"

Barry shook his head.

"Did you know that I was a therapist at Central City Psychiatric?"

Barry shook his head again.

"Of course not," Garrison's voice was low and full of bitterness, "why would you?"

Barry didn't say a word, he just stared emotionless ahead.

"I was a good therapist, Flash, I did my job well because those mentally ill patients out there deserve a second chance in society rather than being locked up for their little idiosyncrasies," he snarled, "I was giving them a rightful, fighting chance and guess who took that away from me?" he looked down at Barry menacingly.

The speedster looked to the floor, guilt striking across his face.

Without notice, Paul looked to the steel pipe in his hands as it flashed against the moonlight. He raised it high above his head and brought it down hard on Barry's back, his own eyes red with anger.

The Scarlet Speedster shouted loudly in pain and surprise as he could feel a vertebrae in his spine slide out of place. He instinctively dropped to the floor, his body hitting the concrete hard as the bones in his back were compromised. He looked up to see Garrison staring down at him mercilessly, a glare in his seducing eyes.

"Get up, Barry Allen!" he growled fiercely and Barry flinched. Despite the immeasurable pain flaring in his body, he felt his muscles start to move and contract as his forced hands were pushing him up from the cold ground. He groaned in pain as his spine had to curl back and he fell to the floor again. He looked to the stranger's eyes and knew he was waiting for Barry to perform, to follow orders. He scrambled to his palms again and hoisted himself to a crouching position.

Garrison admired as the speedster's whole body quivered in pain and effort from barely crouching before him, but this was punishment for disobeying orders.

"Like I was saying," Paul removed his black jacket from his shoulders and threw it across the empty warehouse, "I loved my job till that freakish storm hit. I was in the middle of a successful trial for hypnotic therapy with a breakthrough patient when-BAM! This orange red wave crashed into the room," his eyes were distant from remembering, but alive with a fiery anger, "everything looked like it was on fire. The furniture, the table, the walls-everything was torn apart, including my _patient_ ," he snarled and looked at the struggling Barry Allen, "he died almost instantly, but not before I could hear his awful screams of pain and fear. It was truly terrible, Allen, but fortunately I was thrown back and the desk flipped over to protect me from the worst of the blast. I woke up a few weeks later in a hospital bed in a full body cast," Paul said with slight anger, "it took me two years to recover, Flash, two whole years of my life _wasted_ by decomposing in a hospital room, with IV fluids pumped into you, with nurses and doctors poking and prodding your body, with painful surgeries and procedures, and what were you doing all that time? You were running around in the streets like some child! You didn't even know that some of us were suffering like we did, too," Garrison smiled with satisfaction as he saw Barry's arms were shaking and his legs were quivering with the strain of trying to obey his orders, "so here we are, Mr. Allen. You lived your life too long without orders, without someone buffering your actions because you felt like a god, you thought you were superior because of your powers, well-" Paul took a few steps back and rolled the sleeves of his black buttoned shirt up, "Here's what it feels like to obey!"

He charged Barry with the pipe and crashed it down on his head. Blood immediately pumped from the jagged and hard edge of the steel rod and the Flash's entire body went crashing to the floor. His arms and legs gave out, his back cracked, and he hit the cement ground fast and hard.

Paul saw as Barry lay on the floor helplessly. He smiled and lifted the pole once more high above his head and straight through Barry's stomach. He screamed in agony as fresh blood squirted from the wound and from his mouth.

His vision was going dark and a numbness was crawling over his head like cold water. Garrison wiped a few blood spatters that got on his arm and threw the steel pipe across the room. The vibrations as it hit the ground pounded inside Barry's skull.

"When you wake up," he heard a soft, low whisper, "you won't remember a thing that happened, you won't remember the CCPD armored car attempt, this warehouse, or me. You will go back to your STAR Labs and to your little friends but I expect you to do as I say tomorrow and take care of them, Barry Allen. Five cops should've died today," he snarled inside Barry's ear as blood was slowly starting to create a path down the side of his head. He saw Barry was falling unconscious, "stay awake," the Flash instinctively stiffened but he listened to orders and a series of painful groans escaped his mouth, "good," Garrison purred, "good, Flash," he clapped the back of his spine and Barry jumped and moaned louder as his injured vertebrae was disrupted, "but people must die, Barry, otherwise you'll be living a life of emptiness. Tomorrow, I don't care if it's bystanders, a few cops, or even your friends, but they _must_ die."

The minute Garrison stopped talking, Barry's eyes rolled to the back of his head and his skull hit the ground motionlessly. Paul snorted and shrugged his jacket on his shoulders. He started to slowly walk out of the warehouse but he took one last glance back to see the Flash's body on the floor, unconscious, mask off, and blood oozing from his leg, his head, his shoulder, and his chest.

The Man in Black walked out into the dark night.

"This isn't gonna work," Cisco rolled his eyes as he sat in the chair Harry directed.

"It won't with that attitude, Ramon," the scientist was bent over a table typing into the keyboard.

"What's this even for?" Cisco asked.

"Iris had a point when she said that your powers might detect something I can't," Harry explained, "if we're dealing with a meta-human that can manipulate the brain then I won't be able to see anything, just what he or she might want me to."

"What makes you think we're dealing with another meta-human," the engineer didn't want to admit it but Barry might've just gone off the rails on his own.

"Because Barry wouldn't do that," it was as if he read Cisco's mind, "now all I'm asking of you is to take a quick look at this. It might not even work but it's worth a shot, alright?"

"Fine," Cisco sighed and crossed his arms. He watched as Harry pulled up the security feed from a few nights ago-the night of Barry's accident.

It started off pretty okay; the team brought Barry in where Caitlin started to get to work on his injuries. It saddened him to see the result of the gruesome accident and his friend so helpless and motionless. Barry Allen was one hell of a guy and to know that someone did this to him-corrupted that good nature-was almost impossible to grasp. The feed continued, Harry and Caitlin wheeled the speedster in one a gurney into one of medical rooms where he rested and healed on his own time. Most of the video was just watching Barry sleep (which was awkward on a lot of levels) and he was starting to drift off too when a movement caught his eye. He suddenly saw that Barry awoke and he was starting to move out of the bed. The speedster was stretching his legs and he changed into STAR Labs sweats before speeding out the room.

"What the-"

He concentrated more and looked closer. The time read 4:43 PM. Cisco switched around to the different camera views in the facility and stopped at the one of him and Harry arguing in the cortex. That was right before the suit was stolen. He switched the camera view again to the showcase where the Flash suit was usually displayed and gasped. Barry was standing right in front of the burgundy outfit and quickly switched into the suit, orange lightning crackling everywhere.

Cisco thought he felt a burning sensation in his eyes and a migraine building in the back of his brain. He shook his head to shrug it off but it stubbornly remained. The clock read 4:52 PM, only a few minutes before the Flash allegedly robbed the CCB.

"Oh no, Barry," Cisco shook his head with shock and hurt. For a little bit he had a sliver of hope that Barry didn't commit the crimes he was accused of, but now here it was clear as day.

He shut the monitor off roughly and pushed the chair away as he stood up. He walked angrily through the halls of the compound, his thoughts solely on the image of Barry stealing the suit and running off. He stormed into the cortex where everyone stood waiting for his reveal. Caitlin, Joe, Jay, Iris, and Harry looked at him with concerned and curious expressions as he began to speak.

"I-I looked at the security video," he started weakly. He suddenly felt hot and sweaty, his stomach doing flips, "and it was all Barry, he did it. He robbed the bank and he was really going to kill those cops out there tonight."

Joe turned around and shook his head, his shoulders sagging. Iris went to comfort him, a bandage on her head from her earlier fall, but even her face was a mask of disappointment and betrayal. Everyone felt it, everyone had been betrayed in different ways. The team's morale was low as the head of their little operation had gone AWOL.

"Does this mean that there was another meta involved?" Jay asked in his deep and thoughtful voice.

"We don't know," Harrison shook his head.

"But one more thing," Cisco spoke up again, "my eyes started to burn a-and I started to get this nasty headache."

All heads turned his way.

"That's what Barry felt when-" Caitlin looked around but she quickly stopped talking when she realized the same thought dawned on all of them.

"I felt it too," Harrison's eyes were cold and calculating, "when I was looking at the security feed."

"And Barry the night of the accident," Jay reminded them all.

"What does it mean?" Iris said, but she already new the answer.

"It is some sort of mind manipulation, right?" Joe walked forward and looked at Dr. Wells, "I mean the pieces fit."

"I would have to say that's my best guess," he nodded

"What's our best course of action?" Garrick asked the doctor.

"We need to trap this guy," Joe was determined, his voice sounded fierce.

"Or girl," Caitlin raised an eyebrow and piped up.

"Right," Harry nodded and looked to Cisco, "let's get to work."

"Okay-"

They heard a rush of wind-a _familiar_ rush of wind; one they heard when Barry was running at super speed. A figure came crashing into the cortex. He was tall, skinny, brown-haired, and bleeding.

Everyone stared in shock and surprise as Barry Allen the Flash came to a panting halt and held the desk for support. His head was facing down and his chest rose and fell shakily. He had a gloved hand pressing against a gaping hole in his abdomen that went extremely deep. His leg was pointing at a side angle as the meta bullet still lodged in there hindered his stance; his shoulders were crooked as one was stooped low and the other supporting most of the weight. Blood soaked his brown hair and a steady trail of it was running down his neck.

"Barry!" Iris screamed and ran forward.

Caitlin came surging forward and Jay as well to support the injured speedster.

The other three men were staring with mouth open shock and confusion.

"Why aren't you helping?!" Iris yelled at them angrily, "Dad!?"

Joe stuttered for a moment then looked down to the ground not moving.

Barry coughed and blood stained his lips and the floor, he sunk to his knees and his suit was covered with the burgundy fluid once again. Caitlin was pressing her hand against Allen's abdomen wound while ordering Jay who was bringing over an oxygen cart. Despite it all, the speedster's hand had an iron grip on the desk.

"Dad!?" the detective's daughter shouted at him once more; he made no notion of going over to help. Cisco jumped out of his trance and ran to get the crash cart. Harrison was looking at the injured young man in front of him scrutinizingly. His eyes behind the lenses flitted back and forth suspiciously.

"Wells, what are you standing there for?!" Iris turned on him.

"How do we know this is our Barry?" he said in a low dangerous voice, "it could very well be a setup."

Barry coughed louder and more violently, the growing pile of blood was looking dangerous.

"If this was the other Barry then he wouldn't come here, this is the last place he'd want to be! Either way, he's in trouble and our Barry is still in there!"

"Dr. Wells, we need your help!" Caitlin looked at him pleadingly, "We're losing him!"

At the sound of that Joe ran into action. That dull gaze in his eyes had vanished and now he was the loving father with a fierce determination to save his son. Dr. Wells, although hesitant, assisted Cisco with the crash cart as they approached Barry.

 **Chapter 7 will be released soon!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Here we go another chapter! I'm estimating at a total of 10 chapters for this, but they'll all be action packed and full of dark Barry mwuahahahah ;) thanks for all the great ideas and reviews and for my favorites/followers! Enjoy!**

It was a few hours later that night, the facility was quiet and the cortex, although filled with the team, was dead. Barry had been in emergency condition for a while, but fortunately for his enhanced metabolism he passed from critical to stable. It was a game of touch and go for a while. Barry was practically dragged through the halls and to the medical room where he was carried onto the table. His entire chin and front of suit was covered in the blood that poured from his mouth. The gaping hole in his abdomen was the source of most of the damage. What impaled him was a whole different question, altogether. What happened to him for the short hours he had escaped the team's grasp? Sure, he was injured but nothing so serious and fatal like this. He was gasping for breath and Joe and jay had to pin him down to the table as Caitlin got to work on his caving chest cavity. She was throwing bloody and soaked towels right and left across the floor as she commanded Iris and Cisco to give her the proper materials. It was especially tough when she had to disinfect the wound with pure hydrogen peroxide. There was shouting on Barry's part, tears on the family's part, and blood everywhere. Now it was a matter of time before he woke up. Harrison was writing equations on the board, Jay was looking at the floor with armed crossed, Joe was pacing the floor, Caitlin was cleaning the medical tools, Cisco was wiping the blood and throwing away dirty linens, and Iris sat silently in the corner.

No one talked, no one looked at one another, they all focused on their own jobs. It was the only way everyone could cope with what happened. Barry just burst into the room, practically dead, and they were expected to save him like old times after he stole $400,000, invaded the CCPD precinct, stole 3 armored cars, and kidnapped and threatened to kill five cops. The situation wasn't good and he wasn't doing a whole lot to make it better.

"All right," Cisco sighed and stopped mopping the cortex floors, "I'm gonna address the elephant in the room-the very big, large, obvious elephant. Look, although Barry made a lot of horrible choices, do we think it was a good idea to save him?"

No one spoke for a minute until Jay's intense gaze met his, "What do you expect us to say, Cisco. Barry betrayed us all, we don't know what happened out there but it sure as hell wasn't the Flash protecting Central City."

"But it was the effect of another meta-human, right?" Caitlin came up in Barry's defense, "I'm in no way justifying his actions, but we can't completely pin the blame on him, it's not entirely his fault."

"But we're not completely sure it was a meta-human that did this to him, though. Tell her, Wells," Joe nudged the scientist despondently with his elbow.

"Look, I don't know all the facts, but my best conclusion is that it was a meta-human. That is not a concrete answer, it's just a well educated guess."

"But you're guesses have been pretty spot on all the time, Dr. Wells," Iris stood up and started to slowly walk to Harry, "what makes you think they'll quit on you now."

"Iris," Joe warned, she was heading into dangerous waters.

"No, I want to know," she looked at him with cold, disrespecting eyes, "based on his 'educated guesses' Barry almost died here on this floor in front of us and you didn't even lift a finger."

"Iris, that's enough-"

"No, she has a point," Harrison, who was taller than her, looked down at the detective's daughter. She had spirit, he could give her that, "I didn't choose to help him and if he came stumbling into this room again right now, half-dead and covered in blood, I still would keep my same decision."

Hunter looked at Dr. Wells with a newfound respect.

"You're pathetic," Iris snarled, "you don't care for anyone but yourself."

"And I'm not denying it."

"The only reason you're here right now is because of Barry, and you haven't left yet so it seems that you kind of like it down here, huh," Iris got closer to Wells, her face right in his, "but don't forget, Dr. Wells, that the last time you were on this Earth you killed Barry's mom, you killed thousands of people with that particle accelerator, and you killed my fiancé."

Their locked gaze broke away for a moment as Wells looked up to the ceiling.

"That's right," she continued with a menacing snarl to her tone, "we don't forget things too quick around here, unlike you with your kidnapped daughter back on your damned Earth-2."

"Iris!"

"Enough!" Wells erupted and pushed the detective's daughter away from him. Joe came surging forward to protect his child but another hand came and pulled Wells' shoulder away.

"Hey, guys, everyone take it easy."

They all gasped and turned around. Barry was standing right next to Harrison like nothing had happened, like nothing transpired the last few hours. Wells looked at him with shock and immediately backed away.

"Hey, what's wrong, what's going on?"

"All right, dude, no problem," Cisco said carefully and with a nervous smile, "just stay right there."

"Guys, what's the-"

Barry took one step forward and Jay and Harry pulled a weapon on him simultaneously.

"Whoa, whoa! Take it easy!" Barry saw the barrel of two guns pointed straight at his newly healed chest and he put his hands up in surrender, "What's going on?!"  
"Like you don't know," Jay snarled, but Hunter smiled.

"No, seriously! Jay, Wells, just put the guns down, we can explain this like normal-" the two armed men took a step closer, cornering Barry to the far end of the cortex. The rest of the team was standing behind the advancing men and looked at Barry with wariness, "okay, all right! Just put the guns down, please!"

"You lied to us, Barry, all of us. Why?" Wells growled from behind his defensive stance.

"Lied?" Barry asked genuinely confused, "Lied? Lied about what?"

"Don't play games anymore, Allen!" Jay yelled, "tell us the truth, what happened back there at the precinct and the bank!"

"No, what happened the night of the accident?" Harrison inputed.

"I-I don't know!"

"You have till the count of three before I stick a bullet straight to your chest," Harrison said in a dangerous whisper, "have fun trying to pry that one out yourself-if you aren't killed on the spot."

"Please," the speedster slowly stared to back up as the armed Jay and Harry stared edging closer and closer to him, "guys, believe me, I have no idea what you're talking about!"

"One."

"I don't know anything about a bank or the police station!" Barry continued to protest, but it fell upon deaf ears.

"Two."

"Cait, Joe, Iris, Cisco! Help me, tell them!"

"Three."

Harry felt his finger start to press down on the trigger and the speedster's fear rise.

"Wait!" he stopped at the last moment as Iris came running into his line of vision.

"Iris, what are you doing, get back here!" Joe demanded angrily and in fear.

"Please move, Iris," Jay said calmly but firmly, "he's dangerous, you don't know what he'll do."

At this point, Iris was standing in front of Barry, holding his wrist. She could feel his tall skinny form behind her as he protected her from the barrels staring straight at him. There was a natural and unchanging instinct inside of her that would always make her come to Barry's aid whenever he needed.

"Just here him out, maybe he didn't know what he was doing!" Iris tried to reason with Wells.

"It's a lie," Wells said without any emotions or remorse, his gun repositioning and his angle becoming more acute, "he can't be trusted."

"Enough, Wells!" Joe roared and attacked the scientist. He ripped the gun from his hands and pushed him to the side. Cisco and Caitlin came forward to and moved Jay from threatening Barry.

"Guys, come on!" Cisco yelled, "we're acting like children, and even if Barry is or isn't normal then we need to act with reason!"

Everyone panted and let the gravity of Cisco's words sink in.

"You're right, Ramon," Jay nodded, "Barry, we're sorry."

"Thank you," he let out a relieved sigh and looked around to the others.

"Bar, you sure you're okay?" Joe looked at him warily, "Tell me something, something only I would know."

"When I was 9, I went to the movie theater without you to see the PG-13 movie and you grounded me for two weeks," he smiled and looked at his foster dad with hope.

Joe laughed, "That's right, come here," he held his arms open and tackled his son in a hug, "I'm so sorry, Barry, I'm sorry."

"It's okay, Joe, really, I'm fine," he clapped him on the back and they pulled apart.

Harrison's eyes were filled with caution and distrust, "Barry, if you're truly yourself then you wouldn't mind if I asked you a few questions?"

"Of course not," he looked to Dr. Wells with compliance.

"Good," he smiled forcefully, "and it's okay if everyone is still here, right?"

"No, it's fine, they deserve to be," he looked down at Iris and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Now, why don't you start to tell us what happened. The night of the accident, how exactly did it happen in the first place?"

"I told you," Barry sighed and rested against the desk, "I was running in the streets through traffic and the minute I turned a corner, this van came barreling into me."

"Continue," he instructed.

"But right before I felt this horrible stinging in my eyes," Barry elaborated, "and this pounding headache. Maybe that's what veered me off course?" he looked to Dr. Wells.

"It very well could be," he kept his chin held high, "was there something-or perhaps someone that you came into contact with that night?"

"Something? Someone?" Barry shook his head, "no, I don't recall. If there was, then maybe they could explain what's been going on around here."

"Yes, I think all of us would like that," Wells looked Allen up and down. His stance was relaxed, his moral righteousness normal, "so you didn't see anyone during the bank robbery, too?"

"No, I didn't. Dr. Wells, I'm telling the truth, I swear. I would never lie to you guys," he looked around at the whole team meaningfully.

"Wells, what point are you trying to make?" Joe confronted the scientist, "Barry would't lie to us unless he was under the mind control from the other meta."

"Dr. Wells, I think he's telling the truth," Caitlin nodded, "and Joe's right, he wouldn't do this if he was seduced."

"Please," Barry looked at Harrison with his big brown eyes, "no mind control, nothing. I'm me again," he looked around at the Flash team, "and-and I can see I've done wrong and I want to help."

"All right, fine," he regarded Allen who smiled gratefully at him, "go to the treadmill and start warming up, make sure your vitals and your speed are still intact."

"Got it," he smiled wider and with excitement, "thank you."

Barry pulled his STAR Labs sweater over his head and stepped out of the room. Caitlin and Cisco we're prepared to follow him before Dr. Wells spoke up again, "Hold it."

"Why?" Cisco looked at his superior, "What's wrong?"

"Wells?" Joe looked at him in confusion.

Garrick and Harrison exchanged a quick look.

"I don't think that's our Barry."

"But you just said-" Iris protested.

"I know what I said," Harry argued, "I was just saying that so he would leave."

Iris crossed her arms, "Because you are pretty good at lying," she looked at him coldly, "should've known."

"It's not about you or me or any of us right now," Harrison spoke low but urgent, "I think Barry is still under the meta-human's command."

"What makes you say that?" Caitlin furrowed her brows.

"Come on, Wells, you always need an excuse, huh," Joe growled at him, "you can never leave things alone."

"Did you see him? That was someone in a Barry suit, not the real thing. Wake up!" he clapped his hands and they all jumped, "you are blinded by your love for him and that's how he got away with all his crimes."

"How do you know?" Cisco questioned the doctor.

"The last time we accused Barry of robbing the CCB of $400,000 he was outraged and indignant," Wells explained, "I brought it up as a test this time and he didn't even flinch."

"Okay?" Iris wanted to sound tough and unwavering but she couldn't keep some of the doubt from her voice.

"Also when Caitlin brought up the meta-human's mind controlling abilities, Barry was never here to know that we had made that discovery. He was off with the kidnapped cops and the three armored cars, _our_ Barry wouldn't have known what the meta-human was even capable of-he wouldn't even know that there was a meta-human period."

"Oh no," Iris' eyes were filled with horror, "what are we gonna do?"

"He needs to be locked up," Jay said coldly and without mercy. There was a twinkle in his eye, however, "but he can't know that we have figured it out, this is our advantage."

"I-I can't be apart of this," Joe shook his head, "I barely could last time, I can't see Barry like this again."

"Detective, if you don't go through with this, it's going to look suspicious," Wells said to Joe, "you're his father. We are dealing with a dangerous, out-of-control, meta-human, everyone, we need to be acting on our A-game."

"How are we gonna do it? Where are we gonna keep him?" Cisco asked.

"I have an idea," Jay smiled.

Barry was in the exercise room where his "Ciscoed" treadmill was. It was the only thing that could handle his speed and it allowed him to practice and keep fit. If this were the real Barry and his real thoughts. He laughed sinisterly, they had no idea what was going on. No idea that they had just healed and helped their biggest threat. Now all Barry needed to do was wait for them all to gather inside the glass chamber adjacent to his room and he'd go in and snap all of their necks.

 _They've never done anything for you,_ a voice in his mind echoed, _this is right._

It sure as hell was.

He saw Harrison Wells, Caitlin Snow, and Cisco Ramon come filing in. They stood behind the glass-paned room where they would monitor Barry's vitals, blah, blah.

"Barry are you ready?" Harrison spoke calmly into the microphone. Man, it took a lot of convincing for the scientist, he almost caught on.

"Uh, yeah, but where's Iris and Joe and Jay?" this wasn't good, he needed to kill them all, they all needed to be here.

"They'll be joining us shortly, why, is there a problem?"

Barry froze for a minute, there was a note of sass in the scientist's voice but when he looked over he was the same.

"No problem," Barry stood up on the treadmill, ready to begin, "but they'll be coming later, right?"

"I assume so," Harrison nodded, "let's begin."

Barry felt the pad underneath him start to move but he heard a slight _thump_ from above him. It sounded like it was in the ceiling.

"Hey, guys," he looked to Cisco and Caitlin and Wells, "I think I heard a sound from above me. Cisco, what do you think?"

"Oh-uh, I don't know man," the engineer's voice wavered, "must be the electrical lines or something-ow!"

Barry's eyes darted to Wells who he thought he saw his hand move from under the monitor where Barry couldn't see to hit Cisco.

 _Damn,_ Barry thought angrily in his head, _they know._

"Uh, actually, guys, I'm not feeling up to this right now. Maybe later-"

The glass door slid shut forcefully and the metal locks engaged. The windows reinforced themselves on the inside of the chamber with a bulletproof pane and every possible entrance or exit in the chamber sealed itself off.

Barry looked around and heard the locks clicking and doors sliding. He looked back at Dr. Wells smugly, his eyes glowing red. The controlled speedster clapped and looked around nodding, impressed.

"Very good, Wells, you figured it out, bravo," Barry continued to clap.

"Thank you."

Joe and Iris came jogging in, "It's done," they whispered to Harrison.

"Joe and Iris West," he looked at his family, "how nice of you guys to come visit me, but you do know the second I get out," his voice turned merciless and cold, "I am going to come out and _snap your necks_."

"Enough, Barry!" Joe exclaimed, his voice wavering.

"What are you gonna cry about it?" the Flash derided, "you can't keep me in here!" he snarled and sprinted up to the glass, pounding against it, "I'll find a way out!"

"Not anytime soon," Harry threw back at Barry, "Now, Jay!"

They all heard another thud from the ceiling and suddenly green gas started pouring into the room. Barry, realizing what was going on, stripped himself of his sweater and held it against his nose to try and escape from the chemicals.

"Breathe that in, Barry," Wells mocked, "that's Chlorpheniramine in a gaseous form, it'll knock you out in less than a minute."

The speedster knew there was no getting out of this one at the moment, but he _would_ get out soon. He sprinted to the glass window as the gaseous green compounded flooded the chamber, "I'm gonna kill you!" he hissed at Wells and pounded against the glass, "when I get out, you'll be the first!"

Harry was silent and Iris turned her head into her father's shoulder. They all watched as Barry's legs gave out and he slid to his knees. His words were dying and his body was extending on the floor. He tried to get up, tried to fight but there was no use. His eyes slid closed and he let the gas take him away.

Barry felt cool metal against the back of his head. His body was stretched out like he was on a bed and sensation was slowly flooding back into his brain. _What happened?_ He thought to himself in confusion. The last thing he remembered was…

He stiffened and jumped up. That bastard Harrison Wells trapped and gassed him with a chemical. He would die first then, it was settled. The Stranger finally showed him his true calling, something that felt right and good. He was meant to take out criminals and Dr. Wells hurt so many people, so it was justifiable if he went first. Barry looked down at his body to see he was on a metal cot and still dressed in his STAR Labs sweats. Around him was a small enclosed cell, one that looked all too familiar. Barry looked outside the glass pane to realize that he was locked in the pipeline. _Me?!_ a tiny voice said in the back of his mind, _I put people here, I shouldn't be in one!_

"Shut up!" Barry hit his head and growled low.

"Mr. Allen, you're awake," he heard that cursed voice of Dr. Wells.

Barry looked up to see that behind the glass divider was Joe, Jay, Iris, Caitlin, Cisco, and Wells. He glanced around him and nodded.

"This is actually a brilliant idea," Barry clapped and smiled smugly, "I'm impressed."

"Thank you," Jay spoke up, "it was mine."

"It's cute that you all think you can keep me in here," the speedster examined his meta-proofed cell around him, "you all do understand I have my same memories, I know how these things are built and their weaknesses."

"There are no weaknesses," Wells raised an eyebrow, "I designed them."

"And look how foolproof your particle accelerator was," the Flash sneered.

"This is to help you, not hurt you," Iris stepped forward, "we're only doing this because that's what Barry would've wanted."

"Don't you understand that I _am_ Barry!" he suddenly exploded, everyone jumped back, "I'm the better version, one I was too scared to ever become! I am faster, stronger, and more powerful than I ever could've been!"

"But you're meaner too," Joe said gruffly, his eyes sad.

"And?" the speedster laughed, "can't you see the good to this? I can take down _any_ meta-human, hell, they'll be too scared to show their faces!"

"That's not what we're trying to accomplish here, Barry," Caitlin said softly, "we want to put them away so they don't hurt others, not kill them. Otherwise, we're just like them."

"Oh, save the humanity crap for later, Snow," Barry rolled his eyes irritatedly, "when I get out-and I will get out-you can lecture me while I kill _him_ ," his burning eyes centered on Wells.

"You see pretty confident on that notion," the scientist started to walk closer to the glass, "what makes you seem so sure?"

"Because this wall will never be able to contain the amount of anger and hatred I feel for you, Harrison Wells," Barry stood up, his whole body shaking with fury and teeth grinding together.

"Barry, this isn't you," Cisco looked at him with worry, "that anger is going to kill you."

"Not before it kills _you_ first," he laughed maniacally.

"Wells," Jay turned his head, "close the gate."

"No, no!" Barry dashed up to the glass and pounded his fists, "let me out, let me out!" his balled hands were banging against the glass hard and electricity started to crackle off him.

Wells gave the fighting Barry one last long look before walking to the wall and opening up a control panel.

"You can't keep me here for long! I will get out, I will find a way out and when I do, _I'm gonna kill you!_

The speedster saw as the metal doors were starting to slide down, but his fury and his resolve were much more powerful than common sense. He took steps back until his spine touched the far wall before sprinting forward at super speed and ramming himself against the wall.

Iris jumped and held onto her dad's coat as she saw her brother angry like never before and insane, "He's going to hurt himself!"

No one said a word as the door's were sliding close more and more and the flurry of orange electricity was getting more obscure. They could hear Barry growling and yelling as he threw himself against the walls but these cells were made for this reason. There was no way, he was getting out.

Wells rolled his shoulders, turned around, and stepped out of the room as the others watched him go.

 **Chapter 8 will be released soon!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Christmas came early this year, because I am uploading two chapters today!** ** _Runnin out of Time_** **chapters 8 & 9 are both going up, so leave me a review and let me know what you think as we start to close off!**

 _"_ Where the hell is Jay?" Cisco grunted as he was pulling a thick rope over his shoulder that was tethered to Dr. Wells' new and latest contraption, "I could really use some help here-argh!"

"Keep it up, Cisco!" Joe encouraged but his voice had a heavy pant in it too.

"Someone needs to go down and see what's taking him so long," Wells looked at the two, "we can't do this all alone, the more help, the faster we move."

"Iris!" Joe called.

She came running in a matter of moments, "Yeah, dad?"

"First, are all the oxygen pipings off?" Harrison said through gritted teeth as he utilized his strength to push the cart forward.

"Caitlin is getting the last of them."

"Good, now we need you to go downstairs and see what's taking Jay so long, we need his help," he said briskly as sweat started to pour down his neck.

"Got it," she went running off in the opposite direction.

Cisco gave one long and hard tug and finally went limp and breathed heavily, "When Jay gets back up here and helps finish to pull this thing, I'm gonna kill him."

"Get in line," Harry muttered under his breath.

"Jay?" Iris' calls echoed through the hallways as she looked back and forth. It was like a huge labyrinth, "Jay?"

"Iris?" he heard a soft and strained voice come from up ahead.

"Jay?" her voice became more panicked as she ran forward. Up ahead was Jay's body on the floor stretched out and a painful expression on his face.

"Oh my gosh! Are you okay?" she knelt by his side and saw a small but deep gash above his left eye.

"Yeah, yeah-ow-I'm okay," he panted and looked up at her.

"What happened?" A feeling of dread swept down her back as she saw Garrick was right outside of the room that led to the pipeline.

"It's Barry, he-he attacked me."

"Barry?" the news of these horrible deeds her brother did never became less shocking, "He attacked you?! How did he get out?!"  
"I-I don't know," I saw a bunch of lightning and heard this loud banging and came to check it out," he tried to sit up but winced, "then all of a sudden he came at me and I hit my head hard, it's all kind of fuzzy."

"We need to get you to Caitlin," she helped prop up Jay, his arm draped over her shoulder. He clutched his abdomen and her heart swelled with guilt. She knew it wasn't her fault, but she felt some sort of responsibility because Barry was her family.

Poor Caitlin had had enough action for the week between Barry and Jay and her, it had been crazy. She helped carry Jay to the elevator where they traveled up. They exited and she finally got Garrick to the cortex where Dr. Snow was just returning from checking the oxygen pipings.

"I just finished, Iris-" she started but when she turned around and saw Iris and Jay, Caitlin stopped, "Oh, God, what happened" she hurried over to help Jay from Iris.

"I'm okay, Cait," he leaned back into a chair, "just a scratch."

"It's deep," she slipped on her gloves and was examining the laceration, "just a few stitches will do."

"I'll go tell Wells," Iris dipped her head and exited the room.

"Thank you, Iris," Hunter lied.

He turned to Dr. Snow who was bringing over her first aid kit, "How did this happen, Jay?"

"It was Barry."

She stopped for a moment and looked into his eyes, "Barry?"

"He's out, Cait."

"Oh no!" her eyes widened and she hurried over to the desk where she pressed down the intercom button, "Attention!" her voice rang throughout the whole facility, "Meta-human escape, I repeat, Barry has escaped!"

She slammed her fist against a red button where an alarm started to blare across the whole of STAR Labs.

 _Damn,_ Hunter nodded and looked around, impressed.

"The doors are sealing, so is the pipeline," she huffed and walked back over.

"So nothing gets out," Zoom nodded and pretended to wince as Caitlin prodded at his brow.

"Or nothing can come in."

She was talking about Barry.

"Let's hope Wells' machine will work, " she gulped, "otherwise we have two rampant metas to deal with."

 _I hope so,_ Hunter smiled inwardly.

"Dad, Dr. Wells!" Iris came running into the Garage, where the trio had finally dragged the machine to get into the van through hydraulic machines.

"Iris?" her father came running forward to meet her as he heard the frightened tone in her voice.

"We need to hurry!" she panted and was caught by her father.

"Why? What's happened now?" Wells asked.

"It's Barry, he's loose!"

Just then an alarm started to blare through the facility and Caitlin's static voice echoed through the Garage, "Attention! Meta-human escape, I repeat, Barry has escaped!"

"Damn it."

"What do we do?" Iris' eyes were wide.

"First, we need to get this thing out of here," Cisco began to run over to the hydraulic panel, "before the doors-"

At that mention, immediately metal dividers came down on the doors and sealed everyone in, "-seal off," Cisco finished his sentence half-heartedly.

"We need to get the doors open," Joe looked to Wells, "it's your building, what do we do?"

"Wait, how did Barry get out? And where's Garrick?" Harry looked to Iris.

"Jay went to get his tools and he heard some noise in the pipeline. He went to check it out and Barry attacked him," her voice grow lower and a shadow crossed her face at the last sentence.

"Did he tell you how he got out?" Cisco placed his hands on his hips.

"No, he hit his head so he said it's fuzzy, I think he has a concussion."

"Conveniently," Harrison muttered under his breath.

Iris glowered at him.

"Doesn't matter how, but Barry is loose," Joe walked forward, "we go back to the cortex and regroup."

"No, we get this thing out here and downtown," Harry ordered, "it's our best shot of stopping the underground fire before it reaches here or anywhere else."

"How long do you think we have?" Cisco wiped his brow with his forearm, "10-15 minutes?"

"If that," the scientist shook his head, "Joe, Ramon, we take the van, this thing will be tethered to the back. Iris, you help Caitlin with Garrick and make sure no more meta-humans escape the pipeline, or we'll be in big trouble with Barry out of commission."

"And what about Barry?" Joe raised his brows and looked to Harrison questioningly.

"We need to figure out a way to reverse the Mind Magician's power," Cisco nodded.

Everyone looked at him scrutinizingly.

"Mind Magician? No? It's a cool name!"

"Save the nicknames for later, Cisco," Joe shook his head and chuckled, "Wells, you can't build something that'll help?"

"Oh, sure, Detective West, let me just go to my lab and quickly screw some bolts together and make a machine that'll counteract the effects of dark energetic mind control," Wells said bitterly, "I'm a scientist, not a miracle worker."

"There has to be something," Iris persisted, "remember the Rainbow Raider? We used the colorful lights?"

"Emotions and the telepathic grip on the mind are two very different things, Ms. West," Harrison smiled bitterly.

"Well, I don't see you doing anything but complaining," she sassed him, "what do you got?"

"I'm thinking of something more on the lines of psychological warfare."

"Warfare?" Joe blurted, "When did we reach that level?"

"When he took Barry from us," Cisco said darkly, "but Wells is right, he's not fighting him physically, more psychologically."

"Agreed," Harry nodded, "we can't fix Barry, he's just the puppet. You need to go to his master."

"The Mind Magician," Joe exhaled, "I guess that name stuck, Cisco."

He beamed proudly.

"Okay," Iris started to back out of the room, "I'll tell Cait to open the Garage doors and consult with her and Jay on any ideas to take on the Magician. You guys deal with the fire."

They were already hopping into the van and waiting to pull out into the open air.

The feeling of being free was something so rejuvenating, Barry loved it. He felt the wind pump past him at high speeds as he tore through the city and dodged cars and pedestrians clogging up the road. His sparking orange electricity cast off him like the tail of a comet and he was a speeding ball of energy racing through Central City.

But the ground felt hot underneath him. It was like the feeling he got when he was wearing his converse and running, not his suit, The soles of his feet were burning and he looked down in confusion. The suit was made to withstand his electricity and sparks. Then it must not be his suit, but the underground. Jay Garrick was true to his word when he said there was an underground fire. That was pretty ingenious, why hadn't he thought of that.

An image of Garrick and blue lightning flashed in his mind; he saw the tall and newly discovered speedster snapping his master's neck with a flick of his hand. _No,_ a tight feeling formed in the pit of his stomach, _that can't happen._

What to do about the fire…how would he stop it? He had enhanced healing and he was fast, but he wasn't indestructible. Barry needed to see the root of the problem and how close he could get to the nearest oxygen tank to stop it from fueling the fire.

"Hey!" he grabbed a sprinting construction worker with scorched clothes roughly by the shoulder, "where did this thing start?" he yelled above the clamor.

The guy was struggling to escape, but Barry's fingers pinched harder, getting impatient, "L-look, man, I don't know," he stammered, "I think it was a few blocks down, a few fellas we're working a site down there underground, but what help are you?"

"Excuse me?" Barry scoffed. On account of his memories, he had saved all these pesky people from countless metas.

"Y-you robbed the bank!" the worker looked around wildly as the sea of people flew around them, "And you were at the precinct, people don't think you're good anymore!"

Barry growled and ran the man up against the brick wall of the alley just a few feet away, "What did you say?!"

"P-please, Flash, don't hurt me!"

Something inside Barry shifted. He blinked and noticed the fear etched into the man's face. The construction worker was scared of him. He let the man drop and he scrambled away from the speedster hurriedly, joining the crowd once again.

He heard Jay's warning in his mind. The fire must be stopped. The man said it was a few blocks down and he sped down there to see columns of fire come bursting out of the sewer openings in the ground.

"Jeez!" Barry's eyes widened as he dodged a pillar of fire that appeared right in front of him, "What the hell!?"

The speedster ran farther and the ground got hotter, the fire had been burning here for a while now then because the asphalt was slick with melted oil and fluid. His feet started to burn hotter, but he needed to find a way to get down there to stop it. How could he?

"Barry Allen," he heard a familiar voice and he turned around instinctively.

"Sir," Barry ducked his head as he saw the Man in Black, "you shouldn't be here, it isn't safe."

"You're planning to put out the fire, aren't you?" The stranger walked closer to Barry, "Don't."

"What?" the Flash's eyebrows furrowed, "Why?"

"Because I started it."

"It's pretty ingenious," he nodded and that dark gleam glittered in his eyes, "but you'll get hurt."

"By whom?"

"Jay told me if I don't put this out, he'll kill you."

"He can try," the man scoffed, he was still wearing that all black outfit, "you remember what I did to you, Barry, once you disobeyed."

Barry gulped and nodded, unconsciously rubbing the fading scar of where the pole seared through his body.

"I was holding back," the Stranger smiled maliciously, "I won't be with him."

"But the people-" Barry remembered the terrified look in the construction worker's face.

"The people don't matter, Allen, they're a dime a dozen. We need to focus on the bigger picture here."  
"This isn't the bigger picture?" He hopped from foot to foot as the ground started to cast off waves of white-hot heat.

"I have one more thing to do before this city bends to its knees," he laughed evilly, "First, the bank, you still their provisions, you annoy them. Then the armored cars, you steal their security, their sense of safety. Then the fire, you make them evacuate, give them an obstacle they can't take on. Finally, my biggest trick yet is about to come," he rubbed his hands together in anticipation and his eyes glowed, "but I need your help."

"Anything," Barry's eyes never left the Stranger's.

"Good, follow me," he started to turn but something inside Barry was keeping him rooted to the ground. The man's terrified face, the tidal wave of screaming people, the burning ground, something needed to be done.

"Well, come on then," the man called impatiently.

"I-I can't."

"What did you just say?" he snarled and walked fast to the speedster who wouldn't meet his eyes but there was a grim expression on his face, "you stupid boy, you listen to me now."

"But I need to help the people," he choked, the words were hard to come out of his throat.

The Man in Black's nostrils flared and he gave the speedster a hard and sharp shove to the chest, "You take orders from me! No one else, and certainly not that annoying conscious of yours!"

Barry didn't have a chance to get up from the floor. Another powerful migraine pounded in his head like a drum amplified 1000. His eyes burned and watered as his vision went red for a moment and his brain was splitting in half. An overwhelming part of him was telling him to obey his master, but a smaller and defiant part wasn't letting him.

"Ahh!" he rolled on the floor and dug his hands in his head, "Make it stop!"

"Not until you listen to me again, Flash!" it was bad, Barry had been away from him for too long. His powers had been wearing off and his original morality was coming in again to replace it. That wasn't good either, because all of his teachings weren't going through to Barry, he wasn't registering them. This time he would need to go harder, he would need to be more powerful, persistent, and dominant.

"See me, Barry Allen!" he stood tall and pushed Barry over with his foot, "You answer to me only, whatever I think, you think, whatever I do, you do! There is no room for your thoughts, your mind is one with mine!"

The Scarlet Speedster wailed on the floor and breathed through clenched and gritted teeth. His nails came away with blood and his brown hair was matted and sweaty. His entire body was pounding along with his headache, like a sledgehammer was having a field day in there.

"Do you understand, Mr. Allen?" the Stranger persisted.

The speedster nodded weakly.

"I said, _do you understand?"_

 _"_ Yes," he exhaled heavily as the migraine began to recede bit by bit. It was like he was taunting him.

"Good, now stand up and follow me."

Whatever resistance Barry had in him had been snuffed out by Garrison Paul. While everyone dealt with the mysterious underground fire, they wouldn't see what the big plans of his really were.

"Here!" Cisco ordered Wells as he swung the wheel around and the STAR Labs truck screeched to a sudden stop.

"Where do we take this thing?" Ramon hurried out the door and towards the back, opening the doors.

"I contacted Singh and the Fire Department," Joe huffed, "they know we're coming. They have a team to help us."

"Thank God," the engineer groaned as he saw the big and heavy metal machinery waiting in the back of the cargo carrier.

"How far are they, West?" Harry came out of the driver's seat to admire his innovation,

"Should be here any minute," the detective looked at the scientist, "they'll take it down to the nearest hatch big enough for it."

"Good, it's going to need a big and clear opening to operate."

"How exactly does this work again?" Joe had a look of doubt on his face, "Try explaining to the captain you've got a huge fan that'll take care of the fire."

"The goal is to exert a powerful enough gust of wind to scatter the oxygen atoms so the fire can't easily catch."

"Like Clark in _Superman Returns_?" Cisco said excitedly.

"Who?" Harrison narrowed his eyes confusedly.

"Are you telling me you don't have Superman on Earth-2?!" Cisco's eyes grew wide as saucers.

"Super-what?"

"Oh my god," Cisco covered his face with his hands, "I can't."

"Forget it, here comes the force," Joe had an amused smile hanging on his lips. There were a squadron of police cars, SWAT trucks, and fire engines.

"Damn, Captain," Joe went and patted his superior's shoulder as he approached, "you really came through."

"Well, anything to catch this son of a bitch," Singh's smile was half genuine.

"Of course," Cisco cleared his throat, "we need to get this thing to the closest sewage hatch big enough to fit the rotors."

"The civilians are being evacuated from North Street and on, it's gotten too hot," Singh pursed his lips, "but there's an old service hatch there that might be able to work."

"Good, get these fire engines to haul ass, Captain Singh," Harrison Wells came forward like a shadow, "I'll rid with one to set it up."

The Captain whistled for his men to come forward and attach the giant fan to their backs. Harrison hopped into the passenger seat of a fire engine and waited for the wheels to turn.

"What exactly are the plans?" Barry came walking up to Garrison. Paul rolled his eyes, _Enough with the questions._

"I'm planning an assassination," he smiled grimly.

"An assassination?" Barry's eyes glittered, "I like it."

"Do you now?" he looked at the Flash with bitter sarcasm, "Last I recall you weren't able to kill 5 cops."

"That was a failed mission," he ducked his head, "it won't happen this time, but who are we targeting?"

"Someone with power-political power," he nodded and narrowed his eyes, "it would make a statement to kill them, it would be cause panic and chaos in the city thats so tremendous, I would rise to power easily. But, Flash, there is one thing."

"Yes?"

He felt the Stranger press something cold and metal into his hands, "I want you to do the honors."

"What? Really?"  
"Mr. Allen, what better way to cut your ties to this city then you pulling that trigger. It will show them all that you aren't their puppet to control anymore."

"I like it," Barry's eyes twinkled in the light.

"Good, now let's get moving. The people are congregated at the town square. Give me a lift."

Barry clutched the Stranger by his black coat and sped down the streets.

 **Chapter 9 is out now!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Here we are, the climax! Thanks for all the love on this story! A special shout out to my reviewers/favorites/followers! Enjoy!**

"Let's get this thing powered up!" Cisco banged the side of the metal hull with his palm. They had managed to maneuver the machinery down the service hatch, but the sides were slashed up from grinding against the walls. Luckily, the rotators had ample space to create the wind gust that hopefully was necessary to blow out the fire that was raging through the city below. Firemen in their heavy gear were standing readily at the sides of the giant fan. The fire hadn't reached this portion of the city yet because these pipes had been sealed off years ago for inadequate use, so they were clear for now.

"Go, go, go!" a fireman yelled and Harrison lifted the lever on his small handheld controls. There was a large metallic groan as the dim rotators were being called to life. They started to spin weakly like a pinwheel in the wind, but Harry pressed a few keys and it started to warm up. The rotators being spinning with more force and power, the blades slicing through the air like daggers.

"Back away!" Singh yelled as the firemen were getting too getting chopped to ribbons.

They fled as sparks started to fly from the machine.

"Is that part of the plan?" Joe muttered to Wells.

The scientist was a mask of concentration, he didn't even look at Joe, "You try cranking out an 18 foot tall fan into a fire extinguisher in an hour and a half."

No arguing that one.

"It's gonna work," Cisco nodded excitedly, "I know it."

"We've got people posted up top at each block," Captain Singh and the Fire Captain came to stand by the trio, "they'll let us know if anything happens."

"Are the people safely evacuated?" Joe asked.

"We'll do our job, you do yours," the Fire Captain nodded tersely, "they are safe for now."

He looked at Dr. Wells questioningly.

The blades were spinning so fast now that they looked like one. The air was being cut by their sharp edges and the wind cast off the machine was blowing everyone back.

"Damn! That thing is powerful!" Singh clapped.

Harrison smirked and cranked up the lever a little more.

"Can it take that?" Cisco asked above the cacophony of wind.

"It has to."

Now, they needed to create a vortex-like effect. One spinning column of wind, like a tornado, that would disturb the oxygen particles igniting the fire. There was a large metal sheet attached around the rim of the fan that created a large circle. It started to rotate along with the fan blades in the same clockwise direction.

"What's it doing?" Joe nudged the doctor, he was practically yelling above the noise.

"The rotating aluminum sheet will support the tornado effect. It creates a vacuum on the inside as it rotates and slowly it will start getting pushed farther and farther down the piping lines as the blades keep turning!"

"You're a genius, Wells!" Cisco laughed impressively.

"Like Wonder-man?" he had an amused look in his eyes.

"Wonder-? No, it's Superman!"

"Same thing," Harrison grunted as he pushed the lever all the way and sparks started to cast off the controls.

There was a static on the walkie talkie in the Fire Captain's hand, "It's working, Doc! I got word from above, the fire columns on North and High Street are out!"

"I need all units to secure the blocks until all of the fire is out, meanwhile someone call the maintenance crew to check out the valves!" Singh ordered a few of his officers.

"Are we sure everyone is safe?" Joe looked to Wells, but he wasn't asking about the civilians so much as the meta-humans in the pipeline.

"STAR Labs has its own piping and routing lines because of our experiments that went on there," Wells' voice was devoid of emotion, "they weren't in any real danger unless the fire went out of control and melted the seals between both pipe routes."

"That makes me feel a lot better," Joe rolled his eyes, "as long as that crisis has been averted."

Jay, Caitlin, and Iris were back safely in STAR Labs. The facility was still under lockdown and the pipeline had been reinforced due to the precautionary measures. That wasn't their worry now, they needed to find out how to get the Mind Magician, as Cisco dubbed him, to release his hold on Barry.

Jay seemed pretty okay, all things considered. Iris was relieved that Barry hadn't fulfilled his word and not killed Jay, this gave her a shred of hope that her real brother was in there somewhere. Besides the cut on his brow, he was fine and Caitlin was relieved.

"Jay, you're from Earth-2," Iris spoke up, "have you ever dealt with a meta-human like this?"

"No one so powerful, we had one that could control emotions though, but not take over the brain entirely."

"Like the Rainbow Raider a while back," Caitlin nodded, "how do you think that could've happened?"

"Well, the dark energy storm caused a lot of weird mutations in people, but I don't know what he could've been doing to give him power of this degree," Jay shook his head, "we should focus on how to make Barry less appealing to him."

"Make Barry less appealing?" Caitlin snorted, "Barry is perfect. He is sweet, caring, funny, and charming, how do you make him _less_ appealing?"  
Iris laughed, "I'm with you on that one, Caitlin, but what made him appealing in the first place?"

"His speed? Powers?" Caitlin thought.

"No, it's his reputation," Hunter interjected, "Barry is the Hero of Central City, he's the icon. If you take that away then you have mass panic."

"Okay, so now that Barry is on his side, he makes him commit all these crimes," Iris nodded, "it makes sense, because then it shows you have control over him."

"And who knows the extent of how far they'll go," Caitlin said grimly.

"The fire is his doing, I'm sure of it," Jay looked to see the two women looking at him confused, "it's obvious. Barry is locked away now, and this attack is something that the normal police and firemen can't handle. It's underground, they can't get there that easily, it's a challenge to show them that if the Flash is gone, they can't stop the disasters."

"Powerful message," Iris gulped.

"Literally burning the city from within," Caitlin nodded.

"This can't be all now that Barry has escaped," Zoom thought, "I mean, he's not going to be able to resist to do something else with the Flash back out."

"So we got to get inside his head," Iris smiled, "a little reverse mind manipulation."  
"How do we get inside the brain of a meta-human who's power is telepathic control?" Caitlin asked half-heartedly.

"We figure it out like always," Jay gripped her hand, "Barry's reputation is what made him so appealing, so now we must reverse that."

"That's going to be hard to convince him, the odds are next to impossible," Caitlin shook her head, "we aren't going in prepared."

"We need to have some faith," Iris rubbed her shoulder, "the people have already turned against the Flash already, so instead of making it a disadvantage, let's use it to our benefit."

"Make the people convince this meta-human that the control over the Flash is no big deal to them anymore," Jay nodded, "it could work, everyone has been rallied to the town square."

"Okay," Caitlin nodded, "let's go."

"I just got a call from Cait," Cisco walked up to Wells and West, "She, Jay, and Iris are on their way to Town Square, they have a plan."

"All the fires are just about out," Joe laughed with relief, "looks like you did it, Wells," he clapped the skinny scientist on the shoulder.

He didn't make any sign that he accepted the compliment, "You can tell the firemen to take apart the machine, it's just about toast anyway," he looked at the sparking and teetering invention that had saved them all, "the tornado effect worked as perfect as could be expected, but make sure all the valves are securely closed this time and no one should open them."

"Wait," Cisco pulled Harrison aside, "are you saying that it was a person who opened the oxygen valve? Who would be stupid enough?!"

"No one is stupid enough, Ramon, we are dealing with a mind controlling super human, is it so hard to believe?"

"Not until we have proof," his eyebrows were creased.

"I overheard the investigative report, there were human prints on the valve and the scorched corpses of a construction unit on scene," Harrison said darkly, "you should learn by now that there are no accidents where we are concerned," he lightly hit the engineer's shoulder as he walked back to the STAR Labs truck.

"Town square, Cisco, let's go!" Joe called as he hung off the passenger door. He saw the glum look on his face, "Hey, you okay?"  
"I'm fine," Cisco walked in their direction, fire teams and officers moving in a flurry around him, "let's just get going."

Joe didn't say a word but a look of worry crossed his face. If they were going to take down this meta-human, then they needed to all be in agreement with one another.

"Hey, are we clear?" Iris looked warily at the hordes of Central City civilians gathered in the town square with lines of officers creating a secure perimeter around them. There were SWAT team members on the rooftops, in buildings with weapons hanging out broken windows, patrolling the ground, and in clumps amid the people.

"I think so, there is no immediate threat," Jay scanned the whole scene in a second. Whatever, there was no immediate danger to him at least, that's all that mattered.

However, he threw a side glance at Caitlin.

They all stepped out of the van casually, it was parked in an evacuated and dark parking lot a street down, but helicopters and huge armored vans gave away the area where the civilians were being protected.

"This is a bad strategy," Caitlin shook her head, "they are gathered here like cows ready for slaughter."

"Let's hope that our other meta-human doesn't know this," But Iris had heavy doubt in her voice. You couldn't miss this.

"Hey, hands in the air!" they heard a loud and commanding voice from up ahead. A bright light flashed on them and six armed officers with big guns and bullet proof vests came charging at them.

Iris and Caitlin immediately stuck their hands straight up, but Jay rolled his eyes and put them up slightly after a moment. If he wanted, he could take all of these people out in a second-literally,

"Officers, we're good, we're Central City civilians!" Iris tried to make her voice seem loud and unwavering but that was hard with four barrels aimed straight at your heart, "my father is Detective West-"

"Shut up!" she stopped talking and flinched as a snarling voice echoed through the streets, "Why weren't you evacuated with the rest?|"  
"We got caught up," Hunter's voice had a mocking edge to it, "officer."

"You, smart ass, better shut your trap before I bust you full of lead," the silhouette against the light was shaking with anger.

"You would like that, wouldn't you?" Zolomon smiled darkly.

"Hey, calm down, everyone!" Iris sighed with relief as she heard the voice of Captain Singh followed by her father's.

"Iris, are you all right?"

"I'm fine, dad," she exhaled, "just tell these guys to stop aiming at us and look for the actual threat."

"Yeah," Singh looked at the officers pointedly, "I sent all available units on hunting the Flash, now go!"

They disbanded, but the commanding officer gave Jay a mean glare before walking off.

"Jay, you could've gotten shot!" Caitlin hit his shoulder.

"Relax, Cait, that guy didn't have it in him," he looked to Joe, "Where's Cisco and Wells? Are the fires out?"

"Yeah, they're all out."

"Did Barry show?"

Joe looked from Jay to Singh standing a little farther off talking to a few of his men, "No, Barry? Why would Barry show?"  
"No reason," Hunter's lip twitched into a slight snarl.

"I know you're upset, Jay, we all are, especially since he looks up to you so much. You've taught him a lot, but we need to keep it together. This isn't Barry's fault, it's the meta's, so concentrate that anger towards him," Joe patted his arm reassuringly and walked off towards Iris.

 _Trust me, I am,_ Hunter thought sinisterly.

"Cisco, Dr. Wells!" Caitlin said with relief and tackled Ramon in a hug, "did it work okay? Wells' invention?"

"Yes, it worked," Harry nodded.

"Are you kidding me?!" Cisco said excitedly and gesticulated wildly, "it was off the charts, Cait! He was insane, just standing like all stone-faced in front of this sparking fan and it was amazing!"

Harry laughed as he looked at his two colleagues in amusement.

There were screams that drowned out the laughter. It was starting to get dark, around 7 o'clock, but the screams were coming from the crowd of people. Singh immediately dropped his conversation and his men followed him along with Jay, Cisco, Iris, Caitlin, Harrison, and Joe.

"What's going on?" Iris ran forward but was stopped by her dad.

"Cisco, get Caitlin and Iris in the van!"

He hurried over and grabbed the two women, to pull them away in case of any danger. _At least those three are safe_ , Joe thought, relieved, and he put a man on Jay and Wells too. Harrison looked indifferent but Garrick looked at the two men who were a lot shorter and less bulkier like it was child's play.

"People of Central City!" they heard a new voice.

"Where is that coming from!?" Singh yelled, "Get all ground units to protect the people, make a shielded perimeter around them! Bring the copters low and the all vans, I'm talking ambulances, armored cars, trucks, company cars, fire engines-anything-to create a barricade! They are our first priority!"

"No need to be alarmed!" finally, he appeared. Atop the roof of City Halls stood a man dressed in all black. He had one black shoes, pants, a button-up, and an obsidian colored leather trench coat to match. This was the man that was behind it all, this was the man who took Barry. Already, his words were lulling, people subconsciously leaned forward a little just because you wanted to hear what he was saying, "I'm not here to harm any of you!"

Caitlin felt a feeling of relief and reassurement inside her, but after he finished speaking it was gone and she looked confused and worried. She turned her head to see Iris was the same way, it was his power talking, not him.

"I've only come for a demonstration!" he laughed as people scurried about and tried to listen to the Captain's orders. Officers with plastic shields sprinted to form a line before the civilians and vehicles started to form a barricade. SWAT team members were repositioning, their weapons loaded, "LOWER YOUR WEAPONS!"

A calm came before the armed men and they dropped their weapons to the floor.

"DO NOT PICK THEM UP AGAIN!"

He yelled loud to be heard above the clamor.

"ALL DRIVERS WILL STOP MOVING THEIR VEHICLES!"

All the brakes were pressed at once and drivers exited their trucks and vans on account of the seductive words.

"And introducing my friend," the man stepped back and revealed a new figure who strutted higher on the triangular shaped rooftop. He was wearing his red Flash suit and a devilish grin on his face.

"Barry," iris whispered to herself.

"Cisco, get a facial recognition right now," Harrison muttered to the young engineer, "before I'm forced to do something I don't want to."

Cisco, carefully, not to attract any negative attention went over the STAR Labs van and pulled out his tablet.

"I've got a match," he said after a minute, "his name is Garrison Paul, he was a therapist at Central City Psychiatric for years before the particle accelerator made him invalid in a hospital for 2 years. He was fired for coaxing a patient to kill himself and was evicted from his apartment."

"Rough year," Joe huffed, but his eyes were glued to Barry.

"Now, my friend and I were talking here," Garrison gestured to the speedster, "and we agreed that there's one more thing that should be done here, before you all are ready."

"Ready for what?" Singh shouted bravely from behind the door of an armored truck.

"Ready for full acceptance," he tutted, "it's time you all learned to rid of your boundaries between minds, insane or not, and think as one unit!"

"And how's that gonna work?" Hunter growled from below, his eyes fixed upon Paul like daggers. Barry looked to his master worriedly then at Jay as a warning.

"You have all grown to love and adore the Flash," he pointed to the Scarlet Speedster, "but he has changed."

People cowered and shivered under the control of this superior meta-human who had them all at his mercy. His eyes reflected danger and insanity, his appearance relaxed but a little edgy; this Garrison Paul was unhinged.

"He is no longer the hero you can call upon for help, but he's under my command," Barry looked ahead robotically as all eyes turned to him, pleading for his assistance.

"Your officers were attacked, your precinct invaded, your property stolen and broken. The city was in flames underground and you were powerless to stop it, and that's through my teachings," he spread his arms like he was some welcoming father, "but I have one last lesson to show you before you are all prepared."

Barry's grin grew in anticipation.

 _What's going on?_ Wells narrowed his eyes and looked at his pupil with full focus.

"We both agreed," Paul looked to the controlled Flash, his eyes were red like blood, "that this teaching is the most effective, it calls for a killing."

"NO!" Singh shouted and people started to scream, but no one could go for their weapons for protection.

"Settle down, settle down," Paul said calmly and immediately the shouts started to die out, "it's someone with repute, someone with power and influence over you all."

Cisco, Jay, Caitlin, Joe, and Iris all looked to Harrison Wells who immediately gasped with shock. Wells showing any type of emotion? That was unheard of!

"No, no! We need to stop him!"

"We know that, Harry!" Cisco hissed at him, "He's going to kill somebody!"  
Singh was trying to get his troops in order, but they all had this urge in them to resist getting their weapons and listen to the man speak.

"Wells, what are you talking about?" Jay narrowed his eyes at the scientist.

Harry was about to explain, but Paul kept speaking.

"Flash, would you step forward please?"

Allen was so excited, he was finally going to show the Man in Black that he was capable of fulfilling his word, he wasn't going to back down on his promise to kill someone. The crowd was dead silent, all of them too scared of what was going to happen next. Who was going to die?

"I want you to run down and get that gun there," the Mind Magician pointed to a large and long assault rifle lying in the grass with no owner.

Barry nodded once and retrieved the gun in a matter of two seconds.

"Very good," the Magician purred, "now, Flash," Paul looked around in dark amusement, "on your knees."

There were shouts and screams that protruded from the crowd. Joe's jaw dropped and Iris looked on in horror at the sudden turn of events. Caitlin cried and hugged Cisco and Jay watched with a stoney-eyed expression. Barry Allen was the one who was going to die; he was the one who was to be assassinated.

"Stop!" the Captain yelled along with everyone else's cries of protest and fear, "Drop the weapon!"

"Stop talking," Paul's wild eyes focused on Singh who immediately zipped his trap and looked ahead without expression. His officers tried to shake him out of it, but Paul's words were his words, there was no denying them.

As I was saying," the Mind Magician turned to Barry, "on your knees."

"Why?" Caitlin shouted, "Why are you doing this?!"  
"To show you all that this hero of yours is no god, he is no one you should praise or help you! He is like me, and he has betrayed his fellow brothers and sisters! The Flash must die!"

"NO!" Iris screamed and ran forward but Joe caught her in his arms as Paul looked at her with warning. She dug her face in his jacket as tears fell from her cheeks.

"Stop this," Jay came forward a step, "you don't want to do this."

"And who is going to stop me? You?"

Hunter Zolomon's eyes were on fire but he didn't dare move, he would show his secret if he had to but not yet. Barry was his key to speed, he wasn't going to let him die yet.

"Flash, you were so helpful in giving me this gun," Paul cackled as Barry lowered himself to his knees willingly.

There was something inside Barry, deep deep down, when he was ordered to go this knees. The screams of the Central City civilians reached his ears and actually traveled down to his obscured conscience, the horrified expressions on his family's faces.

"Everyone, watch as your mighty hero falls!" Garrison Paul was overjoyed as all eyes looked at the scene in terror. He cocked the gun in his hands and pointed it at Barry's skull, no way he'd survive that one.

 _Consequences are consequences,_ he thought slyly.

"Flash!" Cisco was the only one who could defy the Magician's power but a demanding migraine started in the base of his skull and his eyes started to burn, "run away! Don't let him do this!"

The defiant spark in Barry started to grow brighter and brighter but it was like that spark was trapped inside a large, cold, metal cage.

"Any last words, Flash?" The cool barrel was placed an inch away from his temple and he didn't move a muscle, obeying Paul's words.

He didn't have any words to say-he couldn't say, he wasn't allowed to talk. But his eyes focused on one person; they turned to Iris who was watching with tear-filled eyes and a despondent look on her face. She was going to be gone, he would never see her again if he died now if he obeyed this command.

 _Don't move, don't move, don't move,_ an overwhelming part of his brain ordered him, but a small and rebellious part of his resisted.

Everything moved in slow motion for Barry. He saw the finger press down on the trigger and the sparks fly as the chamber clicked and released the black and orange bullet. The meta-bullet, _oh no,_ there was definitely no way he would heal from this now.

The spark grew brighter, more demanding, white-hot as every molecule in his body told him to run away. All he could muster was a tilt of his head as the bullet made contact with his skin along with a earth-shattering migraine and stinging eyes that made pouring acid in them seem mild. The bullet pierced his exposed skull dead-on a squirt of blood poured from his wound as the world started to fade. His brain felt like it was exploding and his neck felt disconnected from his body. Barry's eyes began to close and he felt his body go limp, disobeying the commands of his master and his central nervous system. There were screeching sounds like screams from down below as his head hit the roof and he was out.

 **Chapter 10 will be released soon!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Here we are, the end! Hope you all liked this fic, I had fun writing it too! Can't wait for Flash season 3! I don't own anything from the Flash or CW.**

Wells looked on with uselessness as the threatening words of Garrison Paul reached his ears, "Any last words, Flash?"

Barry Allen didn't move, just looked ahead robotically even as Cisco screamed something inaudible at him. It all happened so fast. Barry tried to move his head, to disobey the commands as screams and cries reached his ears. It gave them all hope that there was still regular Barry inside, but he wasn't going to survive. All the strength he could muster went to tilting his skull to the side but the bullet still flew at him and blood spattered across the rooftop. His body dropped like a stone against the white rooftop, now stained red with the Flash's blood and body.

Iris cried loudly and moaned for her dead brother and Joe's eyes were frozen in shock. Garrick looked tense and strung up, like he was ready to go into action any second. _But with what? He'll get himself killed too,_ Wells thought. Caitlin was leaning against Cisco heavily, suffering another loss, and Ramon was looking to the floor as tears fell from his cheek.

The horde of civilians were all screaming and clamoring about as they fought against their security line to try and run away now that the Flash was dead.

"Now!" Garrison raised his arms triumphantly, his hands still wet with blood and the gun in his hands, "I will be your new leader! You will all answer to me!"

The officers, SWAT, firemen, and protective officers were trying to move into action, to do something, but they still weren't allowed to touch their weapons. It was mass panic and chaos as people moved frantically and Barry's body hung from the rooftop.

"Your precious Flash is dead!" he nudged the body with his foot, "So there is no one to save you!"

"You animal!" Iris screamed in rage and grief, "You sick, sick animal!"

Harrison looked to see Joe was still staring ahead in frozen shock and lament, he wasn't making a move to stop Iris. She was blindly putting herself in danger.

Paul turned his head when he heard the screeches aimed towards him. He gave Iris a shocked and questioning look.

"You're a murderer, you killed him!" she moved closer across the grass as Paul turned his whole body to face her from high above, "You deserve to be locked away for your crimes!"

"Look around, little girl," the Mind Magician cackled, "do you see anyone who is going to stop me?"

There was a shuffle of movement from Jay, but when Harry looked over he was still standing there with a terse expression.

"How could you?!" she cried and hugged herself, "he was a good man, he was our hero!"

A curious look came across Paul's face, "What is your name?"

Iris was compelled to tell him whether she wanted to or not, "Iris West."

"Tell me, Iris West," he walked a little closer, making sure to kick Barry's motionless legs a little out of the way, "Did you know the Flash? Personally?"

"I-I" she flinched, she never should've spoken out in the first place, but she was so upset and horrified, "We met, yes."

"Ah!" he smiled wide like a cat, "Now, tell me, young Iris West, what was he like?"

"He was strong," her voice wavered, "heroic, stoic, and everything you never will be."

His eyes flashed for a moment, "But now he's dead," she winced as his voice was completely deadpan and emotionless, "and does that tear you apart on the inside? Do you feel hollow and empty?"

She wanted to stand tall and be brave like Barry, but his words made her want to break down and cry in front of him, "Yes," she sighed and new tears fell from her cheeks.

"Good," he purred, "now, you can join him," he raised the gun up and pointed it down on her.

"What?" Joe suddenly came out of his trance, "NO!" he surged forward like a tidal wave towards his daughter.

Harrison saw Jay shuffle his feet and his shoulders rolled back, _Idiot still thinks he's the Flash._

"Any last words, Iris West?" he grinned evilly as he saw the girl's father come running, but he was going to be too slow.

She opened her mouth to speak.

"NO!"

The Mind Magician felt powerful hands wrap around his torso, "Ahh! What the-"

"Stay away from them!" he heard a deep roar in his ears and he looked down to see burgundy gloves clutching on to him tightly.

"Flash!" Garrison turned frantic, "How did you-?!"  
There were screams and people disbanded as Paul's finger pressed down on the trigger to try and shoot Barry once again. The bullets flew wildly but didn't find their target.

"You were dead," he shouted and struggled to release himself from the hero's grip,"I killed you!"

"This is what happens when you _disobey_!" the speedster roared and he tackled Garrison to the ground.

Paul glanced up to see Barry Allen look like a specter. His skin was deathly pale on account of the blood loss, his cheekbones jutted out, his eyes had dark purple rings around them but his pupils screamed hatred and his strength was surprising. The gun was wrestled from the Magician's fingers and Barry had both hands on his throat and his knees pressing into the meta-human's torso painfully.

However, Paul's efforts didn't go amiss. Blood dripped onto his face as the wound in Barry's head was still bleeding profusely. The speedster was panting heavily and his body seemed exhausted, but he was still clutching onto the Magician with all his remaining strength.

"Barry Allen," Paul laughed but was choked as the hands wrapped tighter around his throat, "I took everything from you."

Barry growled and pressed down harder.

"Now, this is the ultimate test," the meta-human choked, his face was red, "you kill me now, in front of these people and succumb to the nature I have planted into you."

There was no seducing tone in Paul's voice, he wanted Barry to make this decision from his own volition-then his work would truly be complete.

"You tried to kill me," Barry said in between heavy breaths, "you murdered so many people."

"And I pass my torch onto you, Mr. Allen," Paul felt his throat becoming constricted.

"Why?" Barry looked deep into those once mesmerizing eyes with hatred, "Why did you make me do those things?"

"Because you never cared about us other meta-humans," Paul spat blood at Barry's face, "you always ran around and locked us up, it was time you paid the price for your mistakes. But it's okay, Flash, I was there to guide you back to the correct course."

"You're a psychopath, Paul," this was the first time the speedster ever said his name, "and I'm not going to kill you."

Garrison's eyes furrowed in anger, "What?"

"I'm going to make sure you never did to anyone what you did to me," Barry released one hand from Paul's throat, raised it high, and brought it down on the hinges of his jaw.

The Mind Magician screamed in agony as a shooting pain traveled straight from his jaw bone to his entire body. He felt his mouth go slack and lock into a closed position as Barry raised his fist again to target the other side.

Paul couldn't move his body and his face was red with anger and pain, but his eyes screamed for the Flash to stop, _No! No!_

Allen brought his other clenched fist down on the other side of his jaw and the same shooting pain blossomed from his dislocated jaw bone.

But Paul was planning a counter attack. He waited for Barry's fist to go high and his grip to slacken before he pulled a small knife from his boot. The Flash's eyes went wide to dodge but he was too blade cut through his fabric like melted butter and it sliced his chest in a long and deep stroke.

Barry shouted in pain and he fell back as the Mind Magician struggled to stand up, his jaw closed against his own will. He gripped the hilt of the knife in his sweaty hands and circled the speedster who was scrambling to his own feet. There was movement coming from down below but he didn't care, as long as the Flash died.

Barry knew his was the end. The end of what, he didn't know as long as Garrison Paul never threatened anyone in Central City again. His legs felt like they were burning and the cut across his chest was radiating pain. He couldn't run, his legs weren't allowing it, but blood still poured from his head like water and his vision was doubling. His body was about to collapse with exhaustion and it was swaying. _I need to finish this now._

His weak eyes caught onto the glare of the silver knife and the battered and bruised face of Garrison Paul who's jaw he successfully managed to damage. All his strength went into that, and now he was going to collapse. There was only one more thing he could think to do before the world fell away from him and Garrison had the chance to escape or kill him.

The meta wasn't expecting it, but Barry charged him. Like a wild bull in a stampeded he ran head on, as fast as he could without his super speed, his arms spread out and he tackled the Mind Magician off the roof and down to the ground below.

Barry saw the look of fear and surprise on the man's face as he felt the rooftop disappear at his feet and air come whooshing around from all sides. Barry's eyes closed as he held onto that trench coat to make sure that he hit the ground first, and he saw the ground come dizzyingly closer.

There were shouts and screams from familiar and unknown faces that blurred around him and people evacuated as the two began to fall towards the ground. He heard Garrison Paul tried to scream but they were held back from his damaged jaw.

Barry felt light as a feather as his body cracked against the ground.

Through the smoke and the dust, Joe ran straight to where his son Barry had taken a dive off the roof. He tackled Iris not a minute before as Garrison Paul aimed his gun at her, but it wasn't her father that saved her, but Barry. One minute, he thought he was dead, then he was alive, and now for sure he had to be gone.

"Barry!" Joe raced forward like a speeding horse as people screamed past him and officers tried to navigate them safely away from the scene. Behind him, he knew the whole Flash Team was following. It was a miracle that Barry had survived with the hullet in the head, and they still didn't know how that was possible. He saw a brief exchange between the two on the rooftop and he tried to scream to get his son's attention. There was a knife and a slash and then Bar was taking this meta-human down with him.

He ran through the choking dust that stung his eyes and saw two bodies in a small crater in the floor. One was wearing all black and the other red. Joe ran to his son's motionless body as the rest of the team caught up and saw the horrifying image before them.

"Barry-oh my gosh!" Joe lifted his upper body in his arms, "Bar, please say something!"

There was no response.

"Barry!"

They heard a gasp of breath.

But it wasn't from their speedster Barry Allen.

Paul was still unconscious, but even between his damaged jaw bones he took a rattling breath.

 _Is this some kind of sick joke?!_ Joe thought to himself, _Bring Barry back too!_

All eyes turned to the barely breathing body of the criminal Garrison Paul in anger, but Caitlin stepped forward. She went down towards Barry's body and the rest crowded around.

"Quick!" Caitlin demanded, "Cisco, power up the defibrillator in his suit, now!"

"Charging!" he fumbled with his tablet that had the entire STAR Labs console in one small device, "Step back!"

Joe reluctantly let go of his son's unmoving body as his entire form convulsed with the electricity from the machine in the fabric.

"Come on, Barry, please!" Iris cried.

"Charging again!" Cisco announced, but his voice seemed deflated, "Step back!"

One more powerful surge went through his body. A few suspenseful seconds ticked by before finally he took one large lungful of air and fell back.

"Barry!" Joe went forward along with Iris, Cisco, and Caitlin, "He's alive!"

"Caitlin, is he going to be okay?" Cisco looked at her with worry.

"He's not out of the woods yet," she pursed her lips and her expression was grim, "I need him back at STAR Labs this instant! Let's go!"

Iris ran forward and got a gurney as Jay, Harrison, Joe, and Cisco carefully picked up his tattered body and lay him down. They ran and wheeled the gurney towards the idling company van, except for Jay.

Harrison turned around, "Garrick, are you coming?"

"You all go without me," Hunter stood tall, "let me know if he's going to be okay, I've got some unfinished business to take care of."

Harrison's gaze traveled down to the beat up body of Garrison Paul lying at the former speedster's feet and Jay's clenched fists.

Wells nodded once and turned away.

The drive towards STAR Labs was one of the fastest ones Caitlin had ever seen. It was bumpy and the whole car jostled as Joe and Harrison, a bad combination to be driving at the moment, wrestled the wheel left and right to dodge abandoned cars and obstacles in the road. Meanwhile, Barry was barely hanging by a thread in the back. Iris had a hand pressed against his temple that was so covered in blood, she couldn't find an entry wound yet. But now she was focused on the deep gash in his stomach. She had to pour half a bottle of hydrogen peroxide on it and Barry thrashed even in his unconscious state. She ordered Cisco to get some gloves on and keep his body steady as she pulled out some needle and thread for stitches.

"This is going to hurt him, watch out," she warned them as the car jumped and hitched across the road.

She inserted the tip of the needle through his flesh and he flinched. It didn't matter, she needed to get her work done. Carefully, even as Barry moved at time, she wove in and out of his skin, tightly closing the gash in his abdomen to keep it from bleeding out again. By the time she was done, Barry groaned in his unconscious state and her hands were all bloody.

"Is it clotting?" Cisco asked, "He usually heals a lot quicker, it's taking longer."

"I noticed that too," she whispered as to not to alert his family, "I need to take samples at the lab."

"How far are we?" Cisco asked nervously to Wells.

"Close, get ready to take him out."

Cisco got at the edge of the gurney and waited as the truck came to a teetering stop and he busted open the doors. Joe came running around from the side and they wheeled him out and through the doors. Wells helped Caitlin and Cisco out of the van but Iris looked at him questioningly, "Where's Jay?"

"He's on his way, had to take care of something."

She nodded and both women ran after Barry, Joe and Cisco.

The cortex was a bloody mess by the time they got in-literally. Cisco was pressing the wet towel and against Barry's temple but the minute he let go, blood started to spill.

"Caitlin!"

"Hurry, someone get me some new rags, keep applying pressure!"

"What do we do!?" Iris yelled as she did what she was told.

"Joe and Wells, stay outside, it's too crowded," she ordered, "Cisco, keep applying pressure, Iris I need you to get the first aid kit!"

Iris came running back as Barry's head lolled to the side and Cisco's panicked eyes were filled with fear.

"I need gauze and a hemostatic bandage, now!" she ran and replaced Cisco as she pressed down. Joe and Harrison looked on from behind the glass.

Iris just threw any sort of bandage in her direction and Caitlin got the one she needed. She packed the wound as blood oozed from beneath her fingers, "This is going to be a long night!"

Barry felt his eyes try to open. It was difficult, as much as he wanted them to, they wouldn't until finally he opened them forcefully. He was in a hospital bed that was unfortunately familiar to him. It was STAR Labs. He could feel pain jolt through him from his head to his abdomen to his legs and back again, like an excruciating cycle.

It all flooded back to him. The spill on the rooftop, Iris about the get shot, him getting stabbed. His heart monitor spiked and it wasn't a moment later when Caitlin came running in.

"Barry!" she called in relief. When she called his name, multiple other footsteps came towards him, "You're awake."

"Barry?" Cisco came followed by Iris and Joe, but Dr. Wells lagged behind.

"How do you feel?" Joe asked cautiously.

"Horrible," he sighed, "I can tell something bad happened to me the last few days."

"You don't remember?" Iris asked, confused. Maybe it was for the better.

"Bits and pieces," he rubbed his head and flinched as the left side flared up in pain.

"Careful," Caitlin moved his hand away, "just stitched you up, it'll heal slowly."

"Why can't he remember, Wells?" Joe turned to the scientist who came walking up. He was like a tall dark shadow.

"The meta-bullet," he held a black bullet with an orange ring around it, "this is how you survived. Welcome back, Barry."

"Wait, what?" his head was spinning but he wanted to hear how this happened.

"At the last moment, you turned your head, Barry," Wells explained, "it must've been the part of you that was dormant under Paul's power, but when you did, the bullet only grazed your skull. It didn't go straight through, like he planned, and since it made contact with your head, it still released some of its power-dimming effects. The bullet canceled out the Magician's power and your were able to be freed of his telepathic connection, but at the cost of your speed and accelerated healing as well."

"Wait, are you saying getting shot saved his life?" Cisco said, mouth agape.

"Correct."

"Awesome, dude!" he clapped Barry's leg who flinched, "Sorry, sorry!"

"But he was shot before too by the meta-bullets," Iris' journalist side was showing, "why didn't that cure him before."

Barry didn't like the word "cure".

"Because that wasn't a direct shot to the head, it was his limbs or shoulder. The connection was so strong, you needed a point black shot at his skull to free the central nervous system," Wells tossed the bag with the bullet onto the bed, "his plan to assassinate you was actually to your favor."

"Wow," Barry rubbed his eyes, "got it."

"Maybe we should leave you for a little, Bar?" Joe looked at Caitlin with concern who nodded.

They all shuffled out of the room except Dr. Harrison Wells.

"I'll be out in a moment," he said without turning around, just staring at Barry from the foot of the bed.

"Dr. Wells?" Barry looked at him.

"Barry," he breathed, "you can't remember what happened?"

"There are these flashes," he sighed, "but I can't make any sense of them."

"Did Paul tell you to forget?" Harrison thought this was likely.

"I can't remember," he said despondently. After a moment he looked to the side and asked, "Was it bad?"

Wells exhaled deeply before pulling a chair to sit down, "Yes, Barry, it was."

No sugarcoat when it came to Wells.

"What did I do-"

"Don't ask, Barry, it'll eat you up," Harry shook his head, "you try to bear the world's burden on your shoulders, all this guilt just by yourself. Perhaps it was better that he told you to forget, that you can't remember, because you wouldn't have been able to recover easily."

"Did I," he trailed off for a moment, "kill anyone?"

"No, that you didn't," Wells looked him dead in the eye, "you were going to, but we stopped you."

Barry nodded and sighed shakily, he didn't know how to react or respond.

"All in good time, Mr. Allen, maybe you will learn the extent of your actions, but I think it's best you rest for now and focus on redeeming your reputation rather than dwelling on the past."

Barry nodded, a sense of purpose in him now, "Where's Jay?"

"He's finishing something up," Wells moved to exit the room, "won't be long now."

He slid the door open and stepped out quietly as Barry leaned his head back and exhaustion took him away.

Jay came running in a few minutes later, but only Wells was in the cortex. Caitlin had gone to rest, Cisco was downstairs working on the suit, and Iris and Joe went back home as well.

"Wells," Garrick's deep voice echoed through the room, "How's Barry?"

"Recovering," Harrison nodded.

"Has he..said anything about the incidents?" Hunter thought of him revealing himself to dark Barry as Zoom.

"No, he can't remember," Harry noted the relaxation of Garrick's shoulders as he said it, "but did you take care of it?"

His gaze darkened, "Yes, it's done."

Hunter thought to Paul's body in the crater. As everyone cleared out, Jay leaned in and stopped the metahuman's heart with a vibrating hand.

"Good," Wells nodded, "we don't mention this ever."

"It was only to protect Barry, Wells," Garrick approached him, "that's all I want."

"Me too," the scientist stood up to meet him, "and I will do anything to have that."

"At least we see eye to eye on one thing," Hunter Zolomon smiled.

 **Leave me a review, hope you guys liked it!**


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